False killer whale

Kauaʻi evidence

NOAA states that all three Hawaiian false-killer-whale populations overlap in offshore waters surrounding Kauaʻi and Niʻihau; individual sightings still require stock-aware interpretation.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Pseudorca crassidens

Common names

False killer whale

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Confirmed in offshore waters surrounding Kauaʻi and Niʻihau

Origin

Indigenous

Conservation status

Main Hawaiian Islands insular DPS endangered; all stocks MMPA protected

Evidence date

2026-09-13

Evidence limits

Uncertainty is retained at site, abundance, and trend levels.

Habitat and ecology

Habitats

deep offshore water · insular slopes · pelagic habitat

Food and resource needs

large pelagic fish · squid

Reproduction

stable social groups and low adult mortality

Shelter

deep ocean and island-slope habitat

Threats and conservation

Threats

fishery interaction and bycatch · prey competition · contaminants · ocean noise

Conservation actions

bycatch reduction · sighting reporting · photo-identification · recovery-plan implementation

Monitoring

photo-ID · satellite telemetry · acoustics · fishery observer data

Data gaps

Site-scale abundance and trend coverage remains uneven.

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal timing

Rare, mobile insular or pelagic occurrence

Seasonal description

Kauaʻi status: Confirmed in offshore waters surrounding Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. Ecological relationships include offshore food webs, fisheries, contaminants, and marine monitoring.

Sources and further reading

• https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/false-killer-whale