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To report monk seal sightings:
220-7802 (Oahu) or email
 

To report stranded / entangled marine mammals:

1-888-256-9840
 
To report stranded / entangled
sea turtles:
983-5730 (Oahu)
 
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False Killer Whale
 
 

False Killer Whale drawingYoungmi Choi©SPC

 
    Scientific name: Pseudorca crassidens
     
 

Stock Assessment / Estimated Breeding Population

 
 

For a current Stock Assessment Report (SAR), please visit:
NOAA Fisheries - Office of Protected Resources - Marine Mammal SAR, Small Cetaceans

 
 
Legal Protection
 
  False killer whales are not listed as “threatened” or “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and although they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), these whales are not considered depleted in Hawaiian waters.  
 
Current Management Issues
 
  Petition to List as an Endangered Species:  
 

On October 1, 2009, the NOAA Fisheries Service (also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service) received a petition by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to list the Hawaiian insular population of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) as an endangered species and designate critical habitat to ensure its recovery pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended.

Currently NOAA Fisheries is reviewing the information contained in the petition and will make a finding as to whether the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted. To the maximum extent practicable, this decision must be made within 90 days of receiving the petition. If the 90-day finding concludes substantial information exists such that the listing may be warranted, NOAA Fisheries shall commence a review of the status of the Hawaiian insular population of false killer whales and shall make, within 12 months of receipt of the petition, a determination as to whether the petitioned action is warranted. If the 90-day finding concludes the petition does not present substantial information indicating the petitioned actions may be warranted, then the petition will be denied and no further action will be taken. In either case, NOAA Fisheries will announce the decision and how we intend to proceed in the Federal Register.

 
  Informational Public Meeting, Nov 19-20, 2009: Take Reduction Team (TRT) and Take Reduction Plan (TRP) processes for false killer whales in Hawaii  
  The Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) will be hosting a two-day public informational meeting about the Take Reduction Team (TRT) and Take Reduction Plan (TRP) processes for false killer whales in Hawaii. All interested stakeholders and members of the public are welcome to attend. The primary purpose of this "pre-TRT" meeting is to provide information on the TRT/TRP process to interested stakeholders and members of the community, and to explain the mandates in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as well as the scientific data used to support the take reduction program.  
 

When: November 19-20, 2009

Where:

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Office
6600 Kalanianaole Hwy, #301
Honolulu, Hawaii

What time:

November 19, 9am-5pm
November 20, 9am-2:30pm

 
 
Natural History
 
  Physical Description  
 
  • Long, slender, almost entirely black bodies with an anchor-shaped gray patch on their ventral side and a rounded, conical head.
  • Pectoral fins with a distinct hump that points backwards.
  • Most distinguishing feature are 7-12 pairs of large conical teeth that resemble teeth of a killer whale.
  • Adults size range from 16-20 feet and weigh from 1,000-3,000 pounds, with males at the upper end of the scale.
  • They are highly social animals forming pods of 10-40 individuals in Hawaii, and up to 100 individuals elsewhere.
 
  Diet  
 
  • Primarily fish and squid.  Those in Hawaiian waters feed primarily on mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna. This poses a problem for the whales which can be injured or entangled by the fishing gear. It also poses problems for the longline fishermen who suffer economic losses as a result of the whales depredating thier catch.
 
 

Lifespan

 
 
  • Estimated 58 years for males and 63 years for females.
 
 

Reproduction

 
 
  • Reach sexual maturity at lengths of 12-14 feet.
  • Breeding seasons lasts several months.
  • Females have a gestation period that lasts from 14-16 months and calve approximately every seven years. 
  • At birth a false killer whale can measure 5-6 feet and weigh 175 pounds.
 
  Distribution  
 
  • Widely distributed in all of the oceans preferring deep tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters. 
  • In the Pacific Island Region they are found through out the Hawaiian islands in both shallow and deep water.
 
 
Potential Threats
 
 
  • Interactions with fisheries
  • Marine debris entanglement or ingestion
  • Anthropogenic noise
  • Marine polluntants
 
 
Important Phone Numbers
 
 
  • Marine Mammal Stranding/Entanglement Hotline: 1-888-245-9840
 
 
More Information
 
   
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