Social structure of short-finned pilot whales
Since the early 80s of the last century researchers have studied the social structure of short-finned pilot whales. Mostly, they used the non-invasive photo-identification technique (...here...) in order to document relationships between free-ranging animals at sea. They photographed individuals of distinct groups and compared association patterns between individuals. Short-finned pilot whales were shown to live in stable social groupings and are believed to form matrilinear kinship groups. Within such groups all individuals are genetically related with the oldest female and mating occurs between individuals from different groups.
Click ...here... to see a large group meeting underwater
(.mov file with 6.3 MB) with more than 25 individuals.
Click ...here... to see a pilot whale subgroup with a newborn (.mov file with 2.6 MB). This newborn still has fetal folds and is closely related with its mother.
Tenerife, Canary Islands
...in progress
Pacific coast of Japan
...in progress
Big Island, Hawaii
...in progress
Santa Catalina Island, California
...in progress