3.1

The Short-finned Pilot Whales are treated as one species even though there is evidence that it may be a complex of two or more species. If it is so designated, the classification may change. If taxonomic designations change, then it is suspected that some new species may warrant listing under higher categories of risk. Because additional data should resolve this taxonomic uncertainty, the current species is listed as Data Deficient. Primary threats that could cause widespread declines include entanglement in fisheries and noise. Hunting is localized and has not had a high impact on the status of the species globally. However, if this does represent a species complex, then these as yet unnamed taxonomic units could be at risk levels warranting threatened category listing. The combination of possible declines driven by these factors is believed sufficient that a 30% global reduction over three generations (71 years; Taylor et al. 2007) cannot be ruled out.