Pilot whale found dead on Mosquito Island!
The cause of death of the young pilot whale remains unknown, however these mammals are among the largest of the oceanic dolphins, exceeded in size only by the killer whale.
When contacted today, Acting Deputy Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer Mevin D. Hastings confirmed the death of the whale. He told our news room that his team “will be visiting the dead animal tomorrow and is going to be soliciting the help of a marine veterinarian”.
He said “tissue samples will be taking and sent to Puerto Rico where the expertise is on this type of species”. He declined to give any further information on the matter.
Pilot whales
According to research Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus Globicephala. The two extant species are the long-finned pilot whale (G. melas) and the short-finned pilot whale (G. macrorhynchus).
Pilot whales are primarily squid eaters, but will feed on fish, as well. They are also highly social, and studies suggest that both males and females remain in their mothers' pods, an unusual trait among mammals, also found in certain killer whale communities.
Pilot whales are mostly dark grey, brown, or black, but have some light areas such as a grey saddle patch behind the dorsal fin. Other light areas are an anchor-shaped patch under the chin, a faint blaze marking behind the eye, a large marking on the belly, and a genital patch.
The dorsal fin is set forward on the back and sweeps backwards. A pilot whale is more robust than most dolphins, and has a distinctive large, bulbous melon. Pilot whales' long, sickle-shaped flippers and tail stocks are flattened from side to side. Male long-finned pilot whales develop more circular melons than female although this does not seem to be the case for short-finned pilot whales off the Pacific coast of Japan.
17 Responses to “Pilot whale found dead on Mosquito Island!”