Pseudorca crassidens
Silhouette: Chris huh · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a species of oceanic dolphin that is the only extant representative of the genus Pseudorca. It is found in oceans worldwide but mainly in tropical regions. It was first described in 1846 as a species of porpoise based on a skull, which was revised when the first carcasses were observed in 1861. The name "false killer whale" comes from having a skull similar to the orca or killer whale (Orcinus orca).
The false killer whale reaches a maximum length of 6 m (20 ft), though size can vary around the world. It is highly sociable, known to form pods of up to 50 members, and can also form pods with other dolphin species, such as the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). It can form close bonds with other species, as well as have sexual interactions with them. But the false killer whale has also been known to eat other dolphins, though it typically eats squid and fish. It is a deep-diver; maximum known depth is 927.5 m (3,043 ft); maximum speed is around 30 km/h (19 mph).
Several aquariums around the world keep one or more false killer whales, though its aggression toward other dolphins makes it less desirable. It is threatened by fishing operations, as it can entangle in fishing gear. It is drive hunted in some Japanese villages. The false killer whale has a tendency to mass-strand given its highly social nature; the largest stranding consisted of over 800 beached at Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1946. Most of what is known of this species comes from examining stranded individuals. Wikipedia →
Recording0:17
Portugal · 2022
© tunicatedreamz · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Corcovado National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoobic Safari | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 2 | Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 3 | Aqua World | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 4 | Taiji Whale Museum | 🇯🇵 Japan |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a False Killer Whale sighting in Raja Ampat on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 13 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a False Killer Whale in Raja Ampat on a given day, against under 5% in February–March, May–June, August and October–December, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most False Killer Whale sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate False Killer Whale sightings, Raja Ampat has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Corcovado National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).
Same family: Delphinidae
The closest relatives of the False Killer Whale that you can see in Raja Ampat (family Delphinidae, Oceanic Dolphins) are Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (about 10%) and Long-snouted Spinner Dolphin (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the False Killer Whale is recorded against all the mammals logged in Raja Ampat (10 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
