A species
The long-finned pilot whale
Cetacean - Odontocete - Delphinidae - Globicephala melas - Long-finned pilot whale
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Size
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Approximate weight
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| maximum and average for males |
5 m ; 6,4 m
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2,5 to 3 tons
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| maximum and average for females |
4 m ; 5,4 m
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2 to 2,5 tons
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Pilot whales are easily recognizable with their black body, their very long dorsal fin at the base and their rounded head without a beak. They live in all the temperate and subtropical waters of the planet, except those of the North Pacific. The pilot whale has long pectoral fins and an anchor-shaped white patch on the throat and the belly.
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They are gregarious animal that can sometimes form pods of more than hundreds of individuals, however they are mostly seen in groups of less than 50 individuals. We often find them in company of other odontocetes such as bottlenose dolphins. The cohesion between the animals varies depending on their activity: they are close when they are travelling or resting and dispersed when feeding. No age or sex segregation has been observed for this species. |
They feed primarily on squids. Most probably, the movements of this abundant invertebrate determine the daily and seasonal movements of the pilot whales. Cod and other fishes can also become preys when squids are lacking.
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They frequently put their head out of the water vertically (behaviour called spy-hopping). |
Their reproductive cycle is rather long. Gestation lasts 16 months and milking at least 20 months, which represents the longest parental dependence period known for cetaceans! Females attain sexual maturity around 6-8 years old while males attain it only at the age of 12 or 15. They generally live until 40-50 years, sometimes 60 and more. Pilot whales sometimes make the headlines as they are known for mass strandings, which could be the first mortality factor. They are still hunted today in the Faeroe Islands. |
The calves are generally lighter than the adults. |
CIRCE Newsletter n° 5 - made by Philippe Verborgh, Martine Bérubé and Mathilde Saboureau