One of the largest dolphins in the world, reaching up to 25 feet (7.6 m) and weighing 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg), the Long-Finned Pilot Whale is known for a blunt, black head and for a distinct “saddle” behind its dorsal fin. When seen in profile, the back of the long-finned pilot whale resembles a saddle on a horse with a depression that appears made for sitting upon.
Long-finned pilot whales are sometimes referred to as “blackfish,” a group of cetaceans of the subfamily Globicephalinae, that also includes false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, melon-headed whales, Risso’s dolphins, and short-finned pilot whales. They are known to associate with a variety of other dolphin and whale species, and sometimes even sharks.
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