Appearance
Field ID:Stocky body, bulbous forehead, no prominent beak, long flippers sharply pointed at the tip, black or dark grey color, fin set forward on body, fluke raised before deep dive, may float motionless at the surface, frequently seen in very large groups, prefers deep water, may be approached.
Length :
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.
Weight:
At birth, Short-finned Pilot Whales weigh about 60kg . A fully grown adult will weigh between 1 and 4 tons.
Diet:
Fish, Squid, Octopus
Behavior
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. They are sometimes seen logging and will allow boats to get quite close. They rarely breach, but may be seen lobtailing and spyhopping . 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. Adults occasionally porpoise when swimming particularly quickly.They are known as the 'Cheetahs of the Deep' for the high speed pursuits of squids at depths of hundreds of metres.
References:
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