A charismatic, deep-water dolphin disguised as a small whale, known for its bulbous forehead, sleek black-to-dark-gray body, and strong social personality. Found in warm temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, it prefers the open sea over coastal shallows and often patrols steep underwater drop-offs where ocean currents concentrate prey. Males grow noticeably larger and bulkier than females, sporting more prominent domed heads. Their curved dorsal fins sit low and forward on the back, adding to that unmistakable silhouette slicing above swell lines during ocean crossings.
Short-finned pilot whales are true social specialists. They travel in tight-knit pods — often 10 to 50 individuals, sometimes many more — built around strong family bonds that can last decades. These pods communicate using a rich vocabulary of clicks, whistles, and calls, and often synchronize movements in beautiful, fluid formations. Their name “pilot whale” traces back to the belief that pods follow a lead “pilot,” though modern research shows their leadership shifts and decisions emerge socially. Their loyalty is legendary; unfortunately, this can make them vulnerable to mass strandings when one individual becomes disoriented near shore.
Diet-wise, they are deep-diving cephalopod hunters. Squid is their favorite meal, although they will take deep-water fish when opportunities arise. To catch them, pilot whales make impressive dives reaching over 1,000 meters (3,300 ft), holding their breath for more than 10 minutes if needed. They navigate and hunt using sophisticated echolocation, and pods sometimes coordinate hunts, showing remarkable teamwork.
Though still widespread, short-finned pilot whales face pressures today. Bycatch in fisheries, marine noise, and plastic ingestion are real threats, while climate-driven shifts in ocean conditions can alter squid abundance and migration patterns. They’re also still targeted in a few traditional hunts in parts of the world. Their reliance on deep, quiet pelagic waters and strong pod bonds makes disruption to the ocean soundscape or habitat especially concerning.
Distribution
Atlantic Ocean
Indian ocean
Pacific ocean
Black sea
Mediterranean Sea
American Samoa
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Aruba
Australia
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bonaire Sint Eustatius And Saba
Brazil
British Indian T.
British Virgin Is.
Brunei
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Is. (Keeling)
Colombia
Comoros
Congo-Brazzaville
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cuba
Curaçao
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Fiji
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iran
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea
Liberia
Macao
Madagascar
Malaysia
Maldives
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Nort. Mariana Is.
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Russia
Réunion
Saint Helena
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts & Nevis
Suriname
São Tomé & Príncipe
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Turks & Caicos
Tuvalu
US Virgin Islands
United States
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis & Futuna
YemenAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
