Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Bulbous melon, low swept-back dorsal set far forward. Catalina's lost residents, gone since 1983.
At a glance
Length/weight/lifespan/diet: NOAA Fisheries species page →
Short-finned pilot whales were once common off Southern California, with an apparently resident population around Santa Catalina Island. After the 1982–83 El Niño they virtually disappeared from these waters and have never returned in numbers.
NOAA U.S. Pacific Marine Mammal Stock Assessments 2023 (short-finned pilot whale, CA/OR/WA) source →
HOW RARITY IS JUDGED →What to look for
Best months to see
Last 30 days
This chart includes numerical reports only. Uncounted sightings do not appear in its totals; see the daily archive for presence reports.
Where to go (operators publish dated sighting reports)
We monitor public trip reports across Newport Beach, Long Beach, Dana Point and San Diego. Reporting schedules vary; summaries show the latest available report. Newport's shared feed is counted once.