False Killer Whales, a species that is less well known but still part of the dolphin family, have some unusual characteristics. One TikTok user recently shed light on the behaviour of the whales, to the dislike of some viewers.
The species is mainly found in tropical waters and shares the same dome-shaped head as killer whales and orcas. Mamadou B. Ndiaye (@mndiaye_97), the user who shared the video, called the whale ‘every shark’s paralysis dream’.
This is likely because of their large pointed teeth and all-black hide (which has been likened to the Rubber Man in the American Horror Story anthology series). They look more threatening than other mammals belonging to the same family and can grow as long as 6 meters and weigh over 4,000 pounds.
Despite their menacing looks, false killer whales are believed to be some of the most friendly mammals to exist. Known for their sociability, they form pods of up to 500 members and have even been known to form groups with other dolphins.
Although they occasionally eat orcas and dolphins which is why we don’t see them in aquariums, false killer whales have been friendly to humans in the past, even offering them the fish they’ve caught as a present.
Ndiaye continued his TikTok by explaining that their outgoing nature goes way beyond friendship groups. Some have been spotted establishing both heterosexual and homosexual relationships with other dolphins.
While false killer whales might be harmless to humans, some TikTok users weren’t convinced by Ndiaye’s remark that ‘ falsies are friendly.’
One user wrote: ‘Why do their eyes look like human eyes?’
‘There’s just something about those eyes that says Satan created them,’ another person commented, while a third wrote, ‘why are these dolphins low key scarier than sharks’.
It’s not known exactly how many false killer whales are out there but having read this article I’ll leave it up to you to decide how you feel about them. Just know that it’s not an orca going through a goth stage!
