Idea #64 – Meet the Pilot Whales in Tenerife
The pilot whales, or globicéphales, are small whales looking like killer whales. They are in the family of Delphinidae. They are called “pilot” because we see them frequently in the trail or in the bow of ships. The pilot whale is recognizable in its color, which varies of the dark gray to the black ; males are characterized by the shape rounded off by their dorsal aileron.
Adult, this whale measures up to 6,50 meters long for males and 4 meters for females, and can weigh up to 4 tons. We counted more than 600 pilot whales between Tenerife and La Gomera, the latter living in band from 10 to 40 individuals. They are particularly present in the South of the Canary Islands, near the cliffs of Las Gigantes. You can observe them easily aboard a boat, which will cross a few kilometers away from coast…
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
Larger Map