False Killer Whale - Shea Blackman
The False Killer Whale (Psuedorca Crassidens)
3/6/18
By: Shea Blackman
By: Shea Blackman
On December 12, 2012, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) deemed the population of the false killer whale as an endangered species. The false killer whale is an underwater mammal that is known to live in temperate to tropical waters all around the globe.
The false killer whale is part of the dolphin family and actually has no direct correlation to whales or killer whales. Their bodies are mainly dark gray with some lighter colored spots around their stomach and throat. They have a round head, a row of sharp teeth and a long dorsal-fin. Fully grown, the males weigh approximately 5000 pounds, and can grow up to 20 feet. Their female counterpart can reach around 15 feet in length and weigh up to 3000 pounds.
Species Behavior:
False killer whales are known to be very social creatures, not seeming to be afraid of humans or boats. They travel in pods of up to 60, and even travel with other aquatic species such as the bottlenose dolphin. When hunting, their diet consist mainly of fish, squid and cephalopods, with the occasional marine mammal attack.
Main Threats:
According to the WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation group), there are roughly 60,000 false killer whales left in the wild. Of those 60,000, it is suspected that there are less than 120 left in the insular Hawaii population. Their population in the hawaiian islands has been damaged through lack of food and long line fishing as seen in the image above. False killer whales have the intelligence to steal bait or caught fish off of these fishing lines, but sometimes they get caught or are injured by hooks. On top of this, lowering populations of native fish have also increased the decline of false killer whales, a form of trophic cascade.
Recovery Plan
The published final rule of the action to be taken regarding False Killer Whales has been put into effect by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, stating “Regulatory measures include gear requirements, longline prohibited areas, training and certification in marine mammal handling and release, captains' supervision of marine mammal handling and release, and posting of NMFS [national marine fisheries service]-approved placards on longline vessels.” The entire compliance guide can be found at http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/ This guide will remain in effect until they are revised or removed by NOAA fisheries.
Although there is a limited amount of help the general public can do, one can donate to certain agencies such as the Pacific Whale Foundation, or Whale and Dolphin Conservation. The next step is to educate others and be aware of this issue.
Works Cited
"False Killer Whale." WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation. WDC, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"False Killer Whale (Pseudorca Crassidens)." Www.nmfs.noaa.gov. NOAA Fisheries, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"False Killer Whale Take Reduction." NOAA Fisheries. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"Protecting Hawaii's False Killer Whales." Www.pacificwhale.org. Pacific Whale Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan." Federal Register. N.p., 29 Nov. 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"Smirking Killer 'grins' While Hunting." False Killer Whale Grins While hunting. Metro, 22 Mar. 2013. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
Nice blog post Shea! I wouldn't have guessed that this animal has no lineage to the killer whales we normally hear about. I will look into donating to the foundations you listed above! -Michael Avila
ReplyDeleteI was very surprised to learn that false killer whales are quite sociable and travel in pods of up to 60. I also did not know that they were part of the dolphin family, and not directly linked to whales. Great job! - Bailey Barton
ReplyDeleteInteresting how they are called the false killer whales but are not directly linked to whales. Can't believe there are only 120 left in the insular Hawaiian population. - Zamantha Baraceros
ReplyDeleteWow, I am surprised how large these dolphins are. I hope whaling comes to an end and whales population can thrive again. Like we learned in class about trophic cascades, the extinction of whales can have a very bad impact to an ecosystem. -Chris Berridge
ReplyDeleteCrazy to think how large these animals are! I hope we are able to curtail the dangerous fishing methods that threaten these animals. -Audrey Bolesta
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read about how they are friendly with people and boats. I was also shocked to learn about how big they can become. I agree that if more people are educated about this animal then it can only result in more awareness and help them recover
ReplyDelete-Keaton Bates
Hearing about the great deal of bycatch that happens from commercial fishing really makes me consider the amount of fish I eat now. Good post on conservation. I've always found it funny that plants and animals will adopt these common nicknames when they have no relation whatsoever to to other species i.e. killer whale. That happens a lot with plants too! -Jenna A.
ReplyDeleteI like how you talk about the negative effects of long line fishing, and focus on how by catch is huge issue for this species. Although there isn't a lot that individuals can do alone, I like that you gave the names of organizations that are fighting to save these whales.- Grant Baldwin
ReplyDeleteGreat job! I enjoyed reading about the False Killer Whale and learning how similar they are to dolphins. Smart creatures. -Guillermo Avilez
ReplyDeleteGreat, informative post! Imagine being known as "false" You! Grant Anderson
ReplyDeleteGreat Post. I enjoyed reading about the false killer whale - Pierson Berry
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