Behavior of a pilot whale

Behavior

The level of social activity is very high for the Pilot Whales. The males and the females will remain in the same pod as their mother for life. This is very unusual with any mammals and they will also find mates outside of their own pod for this very reason. As a result, they are able to form very deep bonds with their family members. The number of members in a pod can range from 10 to 100. Sometimes, the males will leave the pod when they are mature and create a new pod close by the one they were born into.

They have to come to the surface of the water for air at least once every 10 to 16 minutes. They are able to dive up to 1,950 feet. Even though they are very large in size, these dolphins are quite active. They use a wide variety of sounds to help them communicate with each other. Such sounds include whistles, clicks, squeals, whining, snores, and echolocation.

Feeding

Squid is the main food source for the Pilot Whale but they also consume various types of fish. They are also known to consume crustaceans, octopus, and cephalopods. The majority of their feeding activities take place at night. They tend to feed in water ranging from 656 feet to 1,640 feet. They rely on echolocation to help them be able to successfully find food sources. What is very surprising is just how fast the Pilot Whale can move in the water. They are able to travel quickly to get squid and other prey. This has earned them the nickname Cheetahs of the Deep!

(source:google/http://www.dolphins-world.com/)