Long-finned pilot whales in Mallorca Globicephala melas
Meet one of the largest members of the dolphin family. The long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas, is a highly social cetacean associated with deep and open waters of the Mediterranean.
Long-finned pilot whales in Mallorca at a glance
A quick introduction to Globicephala melas, a large, deep-water cetacean with a complex social life and a strong preference for life in groups.
Hello, I’m Fin
Today we are leaving the familiar world of smaller dolphins to meet one of the most impressive members of our extended family: the long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas.
Despite being called a whale, the pilot whale belongs to the dolphin family. Its large body, rounded head, long flippers and strongly social behaviour make it one of the most distinctive cetaceans of the Mediterranean.
5 interesting facts about long-finned pilot whales
Size is only the beginning. Their deep-water lifestyle, strong family bonds and remarkable diving behaviour reveal a much more complex animal.
Giants of the dolphin family
Long-finned pilot whales are among the largest members of the dolphin family. Adults can reach roughly 6 to 7 metres in length, giving them a very different presence from the smaller dolphin species found in the Mediterranean.
Their substantial size and rounded, bulbous forehead make them particularly distinctive when seen at the surface.
A preference for open water
Long-finned pilot whales are particularly associated with deep and open waters. This offshore lifestyle means that encounters are generally less predictable than with cetaceans that regularly approach the coast.
Their habitat takes them into the deeper parts of the marine environment where they travel and search for prey.
Dark and distinctive
Long-finned pilot whales have a predominantly dark body that can appear black, charcoal or dark grey at sea.
Their long pectoral fins are one of the features behind their common name, while lighter markings on the underside help distinguish their characteristic appearance.
Strong social bonds
Long-finned pilot whales are highly social animals. They live in close-knit pods, often made up of around 10 to 20 individuals, while several pods can come together to form much larger schools.
These relationships can be remarkably stable, and pilot whales are also known to associate with other species of dolphins and whales.
Deep-water hunters
Long-finned pilot whales can make deep dives to hunt beneath the surface, feeding on fish and cephalopods such as squid and octopus.
Much of this feeding takes place at night, when they use echolocation to locate prey in dark water where vision alone is not enough.
Can you see long-finned pilot whales around Mallorca?
Long-finned pilot whales are associated with the western Mediterranean and prefer deeper offshore waters. That means encountering one around Mallorca is very different from looking for a coastal species: the open sea is their natural environment.
They are wild animals travelling through an enormous marine habitat, so sightings can never be guaranteed. When an encounter does happen, their size and the presence of an entire social group can make it one of the most impressive cetacean sightings at sea.
See dolphin watching toursMore dolphin and cetacean species in Mallorca
Continue exploring some of the other cetaceans associated with Mallorca and the surrounding Mediterranean.
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