ales ▁in hib its ▁gene ▁flow ▁outside ▁of ▁family ▁groups . ▁ ▁Pil ot ▁wh ales ▁are ▁also ▁known ▁for ▁their ▁social izing ▁and ▁play ful ▁behaviour ▁at ▁the ▁surface , ▁such ▁as ▁lo bt ail ing ▁( s la pping ▁their ▁fl uk es ▁on ▁the ▁water ▁surface ) ▁and ▁sp y - ho pping ▁( p oking ▁their ▁heads ▁above ▁the ▁surface ). ▁M embers ▁of ▁a ▁pod ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁observed ▁making ▁various ▁al tr u istic ▁behav i ours , ▁such ▁as ▁allo parent al ▁care , ▁in ▁which ▁non parent ▁wh ales ▁help ▁to ▁take ▁care ▁of ▁young ▁that ▁are ▁not ▁their ▁own . ▁In ▁the ▁closely - related ▁long - f inned ▁pilot ▁wh ales , ▁ ▁b ab ys itting ▁of ▁cal ves ▁by ▁other ▁group ▁members ▁is ▁frequently ▁documented , ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁performed ▁by ▁males ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁females . ▁ ▁Re production ▁ ▁M ales ▁are ▁pol yg yn ous , ▁meaning ▁they ▁will ▁mate ▁with ▁multiple ▁females ▁at ▁one ▁time ▁and ▁throughout ▁their ▁lives . ▁ ▁Pod s ▁are ▁often ▁found ▁with ▁around ▁one ▁m ature ▁male ▁per ▁every ▁eight ▁m ature ▁females . ▁During ▁m ating ▁aggreg ations , ▁males ▁will ▁tempor arily ▁leave ▁their ▁pod s ▁to ▁mate ▁with ▁females ▁from ▁other ▁pod s , ▁but ▁will ▁return ▁to ▁their ▁own ▁pod s ▁once ▁m ating ▁is ▁over , ▁which ▁helps ▁to ▁prevent ▁in bre eding . ▁Fem ale ▁pilot ▁wh ales ▁m ature ▁at ▁about ▁ 7 – 1