There are two separate sub-species of long-finned pilot whales. In the Southern Hemisphere, they occupy a circumpolar distribution in cold sub-Antarctic waters. In the Northern Hemisphere, their range is restricted to the North Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the western Mediterranean, from the Azores to Greenland.

The long-finned pilot whale has a large, bulbous forehead and a long, robust body, which can measure up to 6.3 metres in length.

Diving to depths of between 30 to 500 metres, pilot whales hunt for squid and fish like mackerel and cod but may also feed on other species of fish, small octopus and shrimp.

Males are usually much larger than females, they commonly have a more hooked dorsal fin and the melon may overhang the short beak.

Long-finned pilot whales are highly social animals that have been recorded in groups of just a few animals to aggregations of over 1000 individuals.