Whales

Long-finned pilot whale

Globicephala melas

Tight-knit pilot whale groups often rest at the surface, approach slowly and never crowd a resting group.

Least ConcernIn 24 Atlas countries

Least Concern (IUCN, 2018) means it is not at high risk of extinction worldwide today.

Two long-finned pilot whales surfacing side by side — Photo: Vsevolod Rudyi, iNaturalist, CC BY

Group of long-finned pilot whales swimming at the surface — Photo: Sidonio Paes, iNaturalist, CC BY

Long-finned pilot whale pod resting together at the surface — Photo: Lucas Benaiche, iNaturalist, CC BY-SA

Long-finned pilot whales surfacing close together in calm sea — Photo: Rob Foster, iNaturalist, CC BY

Long-finned pilot whale surfacing through splashing water — Photo: Rosario Douglas, iNaturalist, CC BY

Long-finned pilot whale surfacing with a white splash — Photo: Julien Renoult, iNaturalist, CC BY

Long-finned pilot whales porpoising across open ocean — Photo: Brooke Smith, iNaturalist, CC BY

Dorsal fin of a long-finned pilot whale at the surface — Photo: er-birds, iNaturalist, CC BY

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

Males up to about 6.7-7.6 m (22-25 ft); females up to about 5.7-6.0 m (19-20 ft)

Weight

Males about 2,000-4,500 kg; females often about 1,300-2,500 kg

Next to a person

An adult male can be about 7 m long and many times a person's weight; females are still several metres long

What it eats

Mainly squid, and also fish such as mackerel, cod, hake and herring when available.

Around people

Calm, give space

How it lives

Long-finned pilot whales are very social and live in tight groups that often rest together at the surface, a behaviour called logging. They dive deep to hunt squid, and also eat fish such as mackerel, cod, hake and herring. Their strong social bonds mean that whole groups can strand together.

Populations

There are two forms: one in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean (G. m. melas) and one in the Southern Hemisphere (G. m. edwardii). The pilot whales around Menorca are the Mediterranean long-finned form. This is a different species from the short-finned pilot whale.

Meet it respectfully

Give resting groups plenty of space. Boats should approach slowly and travel alongside the group, never cutting through or splitting it, because close pressure from boats stresses the whales. Never chase, feed or swim towards them. In Spain, the law keeps boats out of a 60 m zone around whales and dolphins and does not allow swimming there. If you find a stranded whale, call the authorities and do not try to refloat it yourself.

Fun fact

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