Whales stranded on New Zealand beach

Rescuers are racing to save hundreds of pilot whales in New Zealand's picturesque Golden Bay on Friday, after one of the country's largest recorded mass whale strandings.

Description

Pilot Whales are dark black in colour most of the time. Some of them are a dark gray. There are two species of the Pilot whale, but it is often very hard to tell them apart. They generally both get lumped into this basic category. One has a short fin while the other features one that is long. These whales are very large, and only the killer whale is bigger than they are. Males are the largest with a length of up to 25 feet and they can weigh as much as three tons. The females only weigh about half of that and they can be up to 16 feet in length.

Behaviour

You may not get to see the Pilot Whale as often as other species. This is because it tends to stick to the deeper waters. They have been praised for their extremely high level of intelligence. They often form groups of more than 100 in them. They have been found from time to time in large groups on the beaches. It is believed this is due to an infestation of parasites that affects the brain’s ability to stay on course.

Diet/Feeding

Their diet includes squid, octopus, herring, and various small fish. They eat about 70 pounds of food daily which is very little compared to other types of whales their size. Pilot Whales work together to get the food that they want. Engaged in a type of high pitched whistle, they will create a circle that seems to mesmerize the prey and then consume it with ease.

Distribution

They are believed to be the most distributed whale in the world. They enjoy both the tropic and the temperate waters.

Reproduction

Females mature faster than the males at about 9 years of age. For the males it is around 15 years old. The calves emerge about 4.7 feet long and weighing just over 135 pounds. They will receive milk from their mothers for almost two years.

Human Interaction

Since Pilot Whales travel in large groups they easily fall victim to whaling.

Conservation

Pilot Whale is considered as “data deficient” species in the Red List of Threatened species. They seem to do well in captivity which can be a huge benefit if some severe forms of conservation need to take place.