(NEWS 8) - Passengers on board a San Diego Whale Watch boat got quite the surprise Saturday when they spotted a large pod of pilot whales off the coast of Point Loma.
Pilot whales are part of the dolphin family and are second only to Killer Whales in size. Pilot whales are easily trained and have intelligence levels comparable to bottlenose dolphins, according to the American Cetacean Society.
They are recognizable by their distinctively round head and up-curved mouth line. Males can get measure at 20 feet long and weigh up to 3 tons while females average 16 feet in length and weigh half as much. It feeds on mostly squid.