Fam.: Delphinidae Closely related to the killer whale, long-finned pilot whales are characterised by their dark brownish grey to black colour, extraordinarily long flippers and a low, extremely wide-based dorsal fin. Adult males develop a bulbous forehead and reach 6.7 m in length and weights of 2 tons. Long-finned pilot whales are highly social and generally found in pods of about 20 to 100, inhabiting temperate to sub-polar offshore waters. They are deep divers and feed primarily on squid.

Pilot whales are especially vulnerable to mass strandings, which occur fairly frequently throughout its range. Whalers on the Faeroe Islands take advantage of the whales' tight social structure, which makes them an easy target for drive-fisheries.

Illustrations: M. Camm