Short-finned Pilot Whale

The short-finned pilot whale is a large dolphin with a bulbous forehead, barely perceptible beak and strongly swept-back dorsal fin. Its flippers are shorter relative to body length than those of the long-finned pilot whale. Adult males are substantially larger and have a more prominent head (NOAA Fisheries; specialist cetacean guide).

It inhabits warm deep waters and lives in stable, socially bonded groups often containing related females and young. Deep dives target squid and fish, frequently at night. Mass strandings reflect the cohesion of these groups, although their causes are complex (NOAA Fisheries; species-level behavioural studies). It is Nationally Least Concern (Thailand Red Data 2025).