Meet The "Cheetah Of The Deep Sea"

By: NDTVNewsDesk

Image: Pexels

The pilot whale, known for its incredibly fast and deep dives to hunt squid, is nicknamed as the "Cheetah of the Deep Sea".

Image: Pexels

It can reach speeds of around 20 mph (32 km/h) and can hold its breath for extended periods.

Image: Pexels

Despite weighing over a ton, this sleek, dark mammal is a powerful, speedy hunter in the deep, temperate, and tropical waters worldwide.

Image: Pexels

It goes to extreme depths, using specialised blood and muscle adaptations to store oxygen.

Image: Pexels

The pilot whale is a sleek, black, beautiful whale. It is actually a large dolphin, not a true whale.

Image: Pexels

It is found in warm temperate and tropical waters globally and feeds on squid and other deep-sea fish.

Image: Pexels

They dive deep (hundreds of meters), use echolocation to find prey like squid.

Image: Pexels

They then launch rapid sprints to capture them, contrasting with slower, energy-conserving deep-sea hunters.

Image: Pexels

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