When it comes to long-finned pilot whales, being highly social is one of their greatest strengths, but also their biggest weakness. Known to travel in schools of hundreds to thousands, these marine mammals were easily rounded up and hunted for their meat, oil, and blubber until the 21st century.
Long-finned pilot whales are one of two species of pilot whale, along with the short-finned pilot whale. They are found in oceans throughout the Southern hemisphere and in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. These whales have a dark body and a prominent forehead, known as a melon, from which they omit frequencies to echolocate to find their prey. Their melon varies in appearance — from bulbous to squarish, even sometimes appearing creased. They also have notable dorsal fins, which can be used to indicate the whales′ age, as it becomes broader and rounder over the years.
Long-finned pilot whales have been observed displaying a variety of behaviors, including spy-hopping (raising their heads above water to see what′s going on above the surface) and logging (floating motionless at the surface) in a row. These marine mammals primarily feed at night, hunting down prey like fish, squid, octopus, crustaceans, and even small sharks. Long-finned pilot whales are known for their incredible diving ability, able to dive depths of 607 meters (2,000 feet)!