Despite this dimorphism, the sexes are very similar in appearance with a shape unlike that of any other whale. The famous 19th century novel, Moby Dick, featured a sperm whale, and was based on the experiences of ‘Yankee whalers’ that roamed the world’s oceans hunting whales from small open boats in the 1800’s. Sperm whale actual population size is unknown — guesses range between 200,000 and 1,500,000 animals worldwide. These bachelor herds are observed in colder waters toward the poles. The sperm whale has many distinctive characteristics that differ from the other notable whale species.

The reason this species was particularly prized was the super fine body oil and the wax oil or spermaceti contained in the bulbous head. Essentially, the sperm whale looks like a severed thumb that grew a tail at the end. IUCN conservation status: Vulnerable The species is still recovering, though its numbers are likely increasing. Unlike many creatures featured in literature and folklore, giant squid really do exist, but even at over 10 meters in length, they are no match for a sperm whale. Sperm whales are one of the deepest diving whales, they usually dive hundreds of meters to find their … Spending much of their lives hunting in the deep for their prey, sperm whales can dive to depths of up to 3km and hold their breath for an incredible 2 hours. They then fend off attack by slashing their tails back and forth. Females are thought to breed on average, only every four to six years although the period between births can be as long as 15 years. Genetic sampling and the use of tags to monitor whales’ diving behaviour have been very important for understanding of sperm whale behaviour and populations 8-10 . Two species of the related extant genus Kogia, the pygmy sperm whale K. breviceps and the dwarf sperm whale K. simus, are sometimes also placed in this family, or else are placed in their own family, the Kogiidae.[10]. Adapted by Nina Lisowski from Würsig,B., Thewissen, J.G.M. 1014705 Sometimes a vulnerable calf or injured whale is positioned at the centre of the formation1,11. Sperm whales are capable of producing clicking sounds that are roughly equivalent in volume to a rifle shot and rank among the loudest animal sounds. Individuals are born into groups composed of about a dozen females and their young. For years now, biologists have feared that oil development in the gulf could harm sperm whales. The latter is thought to be one of the main drivers of sperm whale population decline in the Mediterranean18,20,21, and a major threat to survival of sperm whales in the Canary islands17,19. The species is still recovering, though its numbers are likely increasing. Please read our privacy policy for information on how we handle your data. Discover Australia's mammals - all of which have hair or fur, produce milk and are warm-blooded.

Another common characteristic is the spermaceti, a semiliquid waxy white substance filling the 'case' or spermaceti organ in the whale's head, which plays a primary role in the production and directional manipulation of focused clicking sounds used for echolocation in the extant great sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). In the past, these genera have sometimes been united in a single family, the Physeteridae, with the two Kogia species in the subfamily Kogiinae; however, recent practice is to allocate the genus Kogia to its own family, the Kogiidae, leaving the Physeteridae as a monotypic (single extant species) family, although additional fossil representatives of both families are known. The sperm whale is federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Whaling targeted all the large whales, but the most prized of all was the sperm whale. Mammalia. Sperm Whales were commercially hunted up until the 1970s, even in Australia. Reeves, R. R., Stewart, B. S., Clapham, P. J. and Powell, J. Sperm whales were historically heavily hunted, and today are globally designated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species2. — Much of the sperm whale's life is spent under the sea far from land, so the species largely remains a mystery. Studies have suggested that loud sounds used by the oil industry to detect oil deposits under the gulf floor may interfere with the whales' use of sonar to locate prey. Sperm whales eat fish and squid, including giant and colossal squid that grow more than 50 feet (15 meters) long. They are members of the Odontoceti, the suborder containing all the toothed whales and dolphins. In the case of the sperm whale, the human interaction was in the name of whale oil acquisition. Even if not killed outright, prey animals are likely to absorb the toxins and pass them on to the whales. CA. Sperm whales are easy to identify from a distance due to their unique blow- which projects forward and slightly to the left (however, observers should be aware that wind can also cause blows of other species to blow one way or another).

Individual sperm whales can be recognised over time through crenulations and scarring on their dorsal fins and tail flukes. President and CEO Collin O’Mara reveals in a TEDx Talk why it is essential to connect our children and future generations with wildlife and the outdoors—and how doing so is good for our health, economy, and environment. Commercial whaling from 1800 to the 1980s g… The whales were also coveted for the rare ambergris they occasionally generate to coat squid beaks that cannot be digested.