globicephalamacrorhynchus

=Globicephala Macrorhynchus =


 * **Kingdom- Animalia**
 * **Phylum- Chordata**
 * **Class- Mammalia**
 * **Order- Cetartiodactyla**
 * **Family- Delphinidae**

__**Endangered Species Act** –__

 * This animal was put on the endangered species list because there are widespread declines in population because of by catch and from being previously over hunted.**

=__Description of habitat__=
 * **Location – 30 W, 30 N**
 * **Atlantic Ocean**
 * **Warm temperate to tropical waters** **Deep water habitat** **Mid Atlantic Ridge**
 * **Frequent site of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes**
 * **Currents -** **Labrador Current, Gulf Stream, North Equatorial, California current,** **South Equatorial Current, North Brazil Current, Guinea Current, Angola Current, Brazil Current, Benguela current, South Atlantic Current**
 * **Tides-** **3 and 3/4 ft**
 * **Temperature – 25 C** [[image:http://www.ifaw.org/images_custom/save_animals/Dolphins/Short-finned_Pilot_Whale/Short-Finned_Pilot_Whale_Global_Map.jpg align="right"]]
 * **Salinity – 37**
 * **Palagic**

=Migration patterns=
 * **They dont have a fixed migration pattern**
 * **Movements are related to prey and feeding or to warmer waters**
 * **Spawning squid draws pilot whales to Southern CA and Japan**
 * **During the winter they are found in shallower waters than in the summer**

__Population__
- **There is an estimated amount of 200,000 short-finned pilot whales worldwide.**

__Survival trends__
– **population is increasing with more conservation**

__Appearance__
=__Reproduction__= __Diet__ =__Economic Importance__=
 * **Pilot** **Whales are jet black or a very dark grey color.**
 * **The dorsal fin is set forward on the back and sweeps back.**
 * **The body is elongated but stocky and narrows toward the tail fin.**
 * **Stocky body, bulbous forehead, no prominent beak, long flippers sharply pointed at the tip, fin set forward on body**
 * **It has an anusual bulge at the end of its head**
 * **Length:** **Adults are 3.5 - 6.5 m in length. When they are born short-finned pilot whales are about 1.4-1.9 m long.**
 * **Weight:** **At birth, Short-finned Pilot Whales weigh about 60kg (135lb). A fully grown adult will weigh between 1 and 4 tons.**
 * **Breeding and calving take place in winter.**
 * ** Gestation lasts about 12 months.**
 * ** Calves are about 1.4 m long at birth and weigh approximately 59 kg.**
 * ** Females are believed to give birth only once every three years.**
 * ** Gestation lasts approximately 15 months while lactatation lasts for at least two years.**
 * ** The calving interval is five to eight years, but older females do not give birth as often as younger females.**
 * ** Maturity occurs around 10 years of age and maximum longevity is 45 years for males and 60 years for females.**
 * **Fish, Squid, Octopus.**
 * **Baby whales are eaten by sharks and killer whales[[image:http://www.arkive.org/media/0B/0BCD0A1A-2B0A-4DB0-8666-94DF20EC9E84/Presentation.Large/photo.jpg align="right"]]**


 * **They are used for bait for fishermen**
 * **They are directly hunted for their meat by Japenese fisheries**
 * **Whaleing vessels are used to for tourist**

Threats

 * **bycatch in fishing gear**
 * **Drive fisheries that target piolt whales**
 * **Ship strikes**
 * **Loud noises also increase in lesser populations**

=Conservation efforts=
 * **In 1997, NMFS implemented the Pacific Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Plan,**
 * **this requires fisherman to use of pingers and 6-fathom net extenders in the CA/OR drift gillnet fishery to reduce bycatch**
 * **The pilot whale is protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.**

- Directly fishing for pilot whales in Japan should be banned. - They should not be able to be fished for thier fat to use as bait. - If fishers are caught fishing for them they should be fined.**
 * __**__Solutions__**__

=**Questions:**=
 * 1) What is the general appearance of the short finned pilot whale?
 * 2) What are some things been done by authorites to conserve the whales?
 * 3) What are the short finned pilot whales threats?

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