A false killer whale is a species of oceanic dolphin that is the only extant representative of the genus Pseudorca. They are found in oceans worldwide but mainly in tropical regions. False killer whales are large marine predators and are identifiable by their rounded heads, small dorsal fin, and dark gray bodies. They are black or dark gray, slightly lighter on the underside, and have a slender body with an elongated, tapered head and 44 teeth. False killer whales are an apex predator, inhabiting tropical and subtropical waters, and they target a wide array of squid and fish of various sizes during daylight hours.

False killer whales are highly social and often break off into smaller, more stable groups of 15 to 25 individuals. They are playful and active, fast swimmers, and can frequently be seen surfing the bow waves of vessels or poking out of the water. Like other dolphin species, they use echolocation to communicate and sense prey and their surroundings. Females reach sexual maturity at about 10 years of age and may only have a calf every six or seven years. Calves are born just six feet in length and will feed on the mother’s milk for up to two years.

False killer whales are threatened by fishing operations, as they can entangle in fishing gear, and are often viewed as a nuisance or as competitors by fishermen, particularly when they steal target fish from longlines. They are also prone to unintentional entanglement or injury in fisheries gear, which is thought to be unsustainable in the false killer whale population around the Hawaiian islands. Bycatch in other fishing gear such as drift nets and purse seines also occurs, and pollutants, as well as depletion of their large predatory fish prey, are thought to present threats to false killer whales around the globe. False killer whales are listed as data deficient by the IUCN Red List, but the main Hawaiian Islands population is listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.