The Short-finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) is one of the two species of cetacean in the genus Globicephala. It is part of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae), though its behaviour is closer to that of the larger whales. Short-finned Pilot Whales can be confused with their relatives the long-finned pilot whales, but there are various differences. As their names indicate, their flippers are shorter than those of the Long-finned Pilot Whale, with a gentler curve on the edge. They have fewer teeth than the Long-finned Pilot Whale, with 14 to 18 on each jaw. Short-finned pilot whales are black or dark grey with a grey or white cape. They have grey or almost white patches on their bellies and throats and a grey or white stripe which goes diagonally upwards from behind each eye.
Ten Facts about Short-finned Pilot Whale
- Adult males may have a number of scars on their bodies. Their heads are bulbous and this can become more defined in older males.
- They tend to be quite slender when they are young, becoming more stocky as they get older.
- Adults are 3.5 - 6.5 metres in length. When they are born short-finned pilot whales are about 1.4-1.9 metres long.
- At birth, Short-finned Pilot Whales weigh about 60kg (135lb). A fully grown adult will weigh between 1 and 4 tonnes.
- They like to eat Fish, Squid, Octopus.
- Short-finned Pilot Whales are very sociable and are rarely seen alone. They are found in groups of ten to thirty, though some pods are as large as sixty.
- Before diving, they arch their tails and raise them above the surface.
- When coming to the surface to breathe, adults tend to show only the top of their head, whereas calves will throw their entire head out of the water.
- They are known as the 'Cheetahs of the Deep' for the high speed pursuits of squids at depths of hundreds of metres.
- Female short-finned pilot whales may live up to 62 years, and males to around 45 years.
