The whale-like creatures in Avatar: The Way of Water are called tulkun. They are highly intelligent marine beings on Pandora, culturally and spiritually connected to the Metkayina reef-dwelling Na’vi. Although they resemble enormous whales, tulkun are fictional Pandoran species with their own communication, social traditions, and moral code.
The film gives special attention to Payakan, a tulkun who rescues Lo’ak after he is stranded in dangerous waters. Lo’ak forms a bond with Payakan and learns that the creature has been exiled because he attacked humans who killed his mother, breaking the tulkun vow of pacifism.
The tulkun also drive the film’s central conflict. Captain Mick Scoresby and his crew hunt them for amrita, a valuable substance extracted from their brains that can halt human aging. The Metkayina regard the tulkun as relatives rather than animals to be harvested. Sturmbeest and thanators are different Pandoran creatures, while ikran are flying mounts used by the Na’vi.