Pilot whale

Share Top Five December 18, 2018

Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus Globicephala. The two extant species are the long-finned pilot whale (G. melas) and the short-finned pilot whale (G. macrorhynchus). The two are not readily distinguishable at sea, and analysis of the skulls is the best way to distinguish between the species. Between the two species, they range nearly worldwide, with long-finned pilot whales living in colder waters and short-finned pilot whales living in tropical and subtropical waters. Pilot whales are among the largest of the oceanic dolphins, exceeded in size only by the killer whale. They and other large members of the dolphin family are also known as blackfish,More info:wiki

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#10 Long-finned Pilot Whale,More info:oceana

Long-finned pilot whales are active predators that eat mostly squid, including relatively large-bodied species. They will also eat bony fishes when they are common. In some areas, the long-finned pilot whale can be observed forming mixed species groups with sperm whales (another toothed whale that feeds preferentially on squid) and also with smaller dolphins.

Like all mammals, long-finned pilot whales reproduce via internal fertilization and give birth to live young, which they nurse for more than two years. Mating can be somewhat rough, involving biting, head butting, and other aggressive behaviors. This species lives to an old age, and females are known to give birth well into their 50s.

The long-finned pilot whale has a curious distribution. It lives in temperate and colder latitudes of the north Atlantic Ocean and throughout the entire Southern Ocean. Though it does not commonly live in the tropics, its bipolar distribution implies that at least some individuals must transit through the tropics from time to time to connect the populations. It is also possible that these two populations actually represent separate species. Another population formerly existed in the temperate and colder latitudes of the north Pacific Ocean, but that population is now regionally extinct. Scientists believe overhunting to be partly to blame.

While the long-finned pilot whale is offered some or complete legal protection throughout much of its range, this dolphin is one of few cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) that is still hunted in some places around the world. It is likely that this hunting occurs at a sustainable level, but this species is also accidentally captured in fisheries targeting other species in other areas. The population trends are not well known, however, and scientists do not believe that they have sufficient data to determine the long-finned pilot whale’s conservation status.

#9 Sully the Pilot Whale | JONATHAN BIRD’S BLUE WORLD,More info: BlueWorldTV

#8 PILOT WHALE,More info:whalesanddolphinsoftenerife

#7 Pilot whales babysit each other’s young while swimming in groups,More info:newscientist

#6 An unique afternoon with Mathilda, a Pilot whale, and her calf,More info:firmm

We left Tarifa harbor with our boat, the firmm Spirit, on June 21st 2013, a sunny but for summertime still a bit chilly afternoon. The sea was very calm, guaranteeing a relaxing trip. Around 20 minutes after having left Tarifa, Katharina mentioned to have spotted a group of Pilot whales. After observing the group, Katharina grabbed the microphone again in order to happily inform us of another spotted group in which Mathilda, a young Pilot whale mother and her one-week-old baby, were swimming.

We were all very happy to see these two, as we had only observed the newborn about a week before, when it was only one or two days old. Today it didn’t appear to do too well as it was struggling to get to the surface to breath. Two adult Pilot whales then took it between them in order to help it reach the surface. But today it was different. The little baby whale was easily swimming alongside its mother. We were relieved to see the small one, as it was obviously swimming without any trouble and was regularly showing up on the surface. Our guests on board of the firmm Spirit were absolutely delighted on this observation. Very clear to see were the marks which are made through the contractions of the uterus through the birth process. Seeing them on the side of the baby whale’s body, one can tell that it is only a few days old.

#5 Long-finned pilot whales,More info:tethys

#4 Long-Finned Pilot Whale,More info:elelur

In spite of their name, pilot whales are actually members of the dolphin family. Highly social by nature, they live in groups called pods.

Pods of long-finned pilot whales can comprise up to 90 individuals. Males in the group are likely to join up for a period and then move on, fighting amongst themselves to mate with the females. Long-finned pilot whales can ram each other and bite, leaving permanent scars. The long-finned pilot whales species tend to be found in cooler water than its short-finned relative, but both in the north and southern parts of their range there are areas where their distributions overlap.