• Pilot whale
• Delphinus melas Traill, 1809; Scapa Bay, Orkney.
• Globicephala melaena Thomas, 1898

Weight:

• Male: 3,000-3,5000kg (B142)
• Female:1,800-2,500kg (B142)
• New-born: 60-80kg (B142)

Length:

• 4.5-6m/15-20ft (D23)
• Female about 4.0-5.0m, maximum 6.0m; male about 5.5-6.0m, maximum 8.5m (B142)

External Appearance:

• Body: long and slender, more robust in older animals.
• Head: square, bulbous (particularly in old males), with slightly protruding upper lip. Chin has anchor-shaped greyish white patch.
• Teeth: small (less than 13mm diameter), peg-like, 8-12 pairs in each jaw.
• Flippers: long - to 1/5 of body length, sickle-shaped, pointed.
• Dorsal and flanks: black/dark grey, sometimes with grey saddle caudal to dorsal fin.
• Abdomen variable extent grey area, palest in young animals.
• Dorsal fin: slightly cranial of midpoint along back, fairly low, black or grey, in females and immatures sickle-shaped, in adult males flag-shaped.
• Tail: stock has thick keel, flukes deeply notched centre and concave trailing edge.

(B142)

• North Atlantic and southern oceans; temperate waters.
• Widespread in temperate areas, mainly offshore waters.
• (B51, B142).

In North-eastern Atlantic:

• Common, widely distributed from Iberian Peninsula to Faroes and Iceland; common in Mediterranean (B142).

British & Irish waters:

• All coastal waters except southernmost North Sea. Greatest coastal populations in north-western and northern Scotland and along continental shelf edge west of Iceland.

Movement:

• May be seen all year, but in coastal waters most frequently September to January (B142).

(B142).

Habitat:

• Mainly pelagic (B142).

• Mainly squid (Todarodes spp., also Ommastrephes spp. and Gonatus spp.)
• Also fish (Gadus, Scomber, Pollachius, Molva, Dicentrarchus, Conger, Anguilla, Merluccius, Trisopterus spp.)
• (B142).

Feeding Behaviour:-

Breeding:

• No distinct breeding season.
• Gestation about 14-16 months.
• Lactation about 22 months.
• Calving interval 3-4 years.
• (B142).

Activity:

• Generally travel at about 5-15km/hour; can reach 40km/hour. (B142).

Social Behaviour:

• Gregarious. Herds usually 20-40 individuals, sometimes much larger. (B142).

Northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere populations recognised as two distinct subspecies (B142).

Organisations (UK Contacts):

• Wildlife and Countryside Directorate, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)
• The Mammal Society
• Mammals Trust
• British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)
• Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU)
• Earthkind
• The Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust
• Sea Life Centres
• Sea Mammal Research Unit
• Sea Watch Foundation
• UK Marine Mammal Strandings Project
• Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society

Electronic Library (further reading):

• MARINE MAMMAL MEDIC HANDBOOK
• Oil Spills and Marine Wildlife: Guidelines for a Response
• RSPCA - Stranded whales, dolphins and porpoises
• Stranded Cetaceans
• British Mammal Factsheets

General Legislation:

• "Whales (Cetacea)" are listed on Schedule 5 (Protected animals) of the LUK2 - Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 of the United Kingdom. (W5.Oct01)
• The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 adds "reckless damage or disturbance" to the offence of intentionally damaging any structure or place which a wild animal listed in Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 together with a further extension to protect Schedule 5 cetaceans by the addition of an offence of "intentionally or recklessly disturbing a cetacean or basking shark in any place".

Individual techniques:

• Refloatation of Stranded Whales & Dolphins
• Lifting and Moving of Stranded Whales & Dolphins
• Accommodation of Casualty Whales & Dolphins