Pilot Whales Are “Cheetahs of the Sea,” Study Finds

Short-finned pilot whales off the Canary Islands race like cheetahs after prey over long distances in the deep Atlantic waters, new research reveals.

Like all whales, pilot whales need to come to the surface to breathe, but they can hold their breaths for extended periods.

Short-finned pilot whales are known to dive to more than 3,200 feet (1,000 meters), but their behavior in the deep ocean has been a mystery.

Researchers monitored the whales near Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish-controlled archipelago (see map), by attaching tags to 23 of the animals with suction cups.

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Tagged as: Animals, Canary Islands, Cheetahs, Mammals, Marine Mammals, Pilot Whales, Tenerife, Whales