Long-finned pilot whales

Long-finned pilot whales, once commonly found in large pods in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, are now rarely found in the Pelagos Sanctuary, although a few sightings (3 on average) are made every summer.  Based on 38 sightings made between 1990 and 2011 in an area of approximately 25,000 km² within the Pelagos Sanctuary, a photo-identification catalogue of 104 individuals was created. Group size ranged from 2 to 80 individuals and calves were present in about 80% of all groups encountered and were observed throughout the whole summer, suggesting the importance of the study area for calving and nursing.