File:Long-finned pilot whale surfacing - DPLA - 0cb709a93b8a479b16c549a331753057.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Cetacea; Family: Delphinidae; Genus: Globicephala; Genus species: Globicephala melas. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 5.5-6.3 m; Weight: 1800-3500 kg; Identification: The pilot whale is dark brown to gray-black. It has a paler, anchor-shaped patch on its throat and chest and gray/white streaks behind its eyes and saddle patch. The dorsal fin of this whale is low and rounded, and the flippers are long and pointed; Habitat: Sub-polar and temperate oceans; Diet: Carnivore: squid, fish; Reproduction: Mating season runs through February and March. A female gestates for 15-16 months before giving birth to single calf, which she will nurse for almost two years. Pilot whales can live as long as 60 years; Social Structure: This whale species can be found in large pods of 50-100 members; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: Pilot whales are often found stranded on beaches. The worst threat posed to their populations are the coastal hunts off Newfoundland and the Faroe Islands.