Sperm Sea

Sperm Sea
View of sperm whale teeth and upper sockets – see also the reasons behind why whales are endangered
The sperm whale is the third deepest diving mammal in the world. Their name comes from the oil, spermaceti, that was historically targeted by whalers.
Sperm whaling was a major industry in the 19th century and featured in the famed novel of the time, Moby Dick. The whales are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. The whales have a distinctive appearance due to their square-shaped heads, easily recognizable in comparison to other whales. These whales are also the loudest animals in the world. They create intense vocalizations that could, in theory, vibrate a human being to death.
The sperm whale is one of the largest whale species in the world . It can grow to around 67 feet and live to 70 years of age and longer. The sperm whale is also the largest toothed whale, more than 20 feet larger than the second largest toothed whale, Baird’s beaked whale. Some reports have cited far larger sperm whales, up to 80+ feet. But, these are unconfirmed citing and may be exaggerated.
For example, the famed whale that sunk the Essex, the ship that inspired Moby-Dick, that’s described as being 85 feet in length. The largest sperm whale ever recorded was fifty-nine feet and weighed in at 56 long tons, or 63 short tons.
The sperm whale has a unique appearance making it hard to mix up with another specimen. It has a large, blocky head that takes up a great deal of the animal’s total length. The blowhole is s-shaped and located close to the front of the head. Their spray follows this direction and is forward-leaning. The sperm whale’s tail is very thick and larger, proportionally than all other cetaceans.
The whale also has a series of ridges on its back instead of a dorsal fin. The same skin around its back is usually wrinkled, in contrast to other whales. Sometimes it’s described as “prune-like.” Interestingly, the sperm whale also has the largest brain of any known living or extinct animal on earth. It weighs around 17 pounds or 7.8 kilograms.
Sperm whales can dive between 300-800 meters or 980-2,620 feet in search of food. These dives may last up to an hour. They eat everything from squid to octopuses and rays. Much of what scientists know about some deep-sea creatures, like the deep-sea squid, has been determined based on remains in sperm whales’ stomachs.
The sperm whale has eighteen to twenty-six teeth on each side of its lower jaw. These teeth fit into sockets on the upper jaw. They are cone-like in shape and around 2.2 pounds each. The teeth can be used, but scientists have posited that they are not necessary for catching and killing prey the whales desire, such as squid.
Some scientists have suggested that the teeth are used aggressively between males.
Sperm whales live around all deep oceans, from the equator to the edge of the Arctic and Antarctic ice packs, according to NOAA. The whale populations are still recovering from commercial whaling in the 19th and 20th centuries that decreased their populations substantially.
Sperm whales are rarely found close to land due to the fact that they prefer to hunt in deep waters. Sometimes, they do venture close to islands, like New Zealand’s South Island and the Galapagos, according to Whales.org.
When choosing a mate, bulls fight over females, often mating with more than one. They do not provide any care for the young but do play a role in the younger bulls’ lives, helping them learn how to survive and exert dominance among other males.
Male sperm whales become sexually mature around 18 years of age, and female sperm whales are fertile at around nine years of age. They gestate for about 14-16 months and give birth to one baby at a time. They lactate for 19-42 months afterward, and calves may suckle for up to 13 years.
When born, both sexes of sperm whales are the same. They are sexually dimorphic. They are usually between 12-14 feet when born, with females growing to 35 feet when mature and males to around 60 feet. Sperm whales can live more than seventy years.
The whales are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. This is due to overfishing during the 19th and 20th centuries. Commercial whaling during this period decimated populations, but the moratorium in the mid-1980s stopped much of the predation by human beings. Today, their populations are increasing and recovering.
Sperm whales are named after the term ‘spermaceti.’ This is a waxy substance that is found on the head of a sperm whale. This is to help with the whale’s ability to ‘click’ for echolocation.
There are no clear or reliable reports of a sperm whale ever eating a human being. Their prey is located miles beneath the surface and includes squid and octopuses.
Yes, sperm whales live in deep oceans around the world. They were hunted throughout the 19th and 20th centuries but today, their populations are recovering.
It’s possible, due to their size, that they might crush a swimmer’s body accidentally with their own bodies or tails. They also, some scientists believe, “vibrate” one’s body to death. This is due to their loud vocalizations. They’re considered to be the loudest animals on the planet.
Yes, scientists consider sperm whales to be intelligent mammals. They have specialized skills that allow them to dive into deep ocean waters and hold their breath for up to two hours.
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Sperm whales. Credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

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Line and buoys wrapped tightly around a humpback whale’s tail. While entanglements may appear straightforward when viewed from the surface, they are often complex and involve many wraps that are not easily removed without specialized equipment. Credit: Pieter Folkens (NOAA Permit # 18786-04).

Photo Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC),
Photo taken under MMPA/ESA permit no. 18786

Sperm whale in Mobile Bay Thursday, Nov. 19

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NOAA Fisheries announces the initiation of a 5-year review for the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). NOAA Fisheries is required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to conduct 5-year reviews to ensure that the listing classifications of species are…

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) requires completion of periodic reviews of species that are listed as threatened or endangered to ensure that the listing of these species remains accurate.

NOAA Fisheries was petitioned to list sperm whale in the Gulf of Mexico as an endangered or threatened distinct population segment under the Endangered Species Act. A review of the status of this population was conducted and based on the best available…

NOAA Fisheries announces the adoption of an Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan for the Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). The Recovery Plan contains revisions and additions in consideration of public comments received on the proposed draft…

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Incidental Take Authorization: Attentive Energy LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York

Incidental Take Authorization: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Bight, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York

Incidental Take Authorization: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Geophysical Surveys at the Cascadia Subduction Zone and Juan de Fuca Plate in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Incidental Take Authorization: Park City Wind Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts to New York

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Sperm whales. Credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center.
Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales and have one of the widest global distributions of any marine mammal species. They are found in all deep oceans, from the equator to the edge of the pack ice in the Arctic and Antarctic.
They are named after the waxy substance—spermaceti—found in their heads. The spermaceti is an oil sac that helps the whales focus sound. Spermaceti was used in oil lamps, lubricants, and candles. Sperm whales were a primary target of the commercial whaling industry from 1800 to 1987, which nearly decimated all sperm whale populations. While whaling is no longer a major threat, sperm whale populations are still recovering. The sperm whale is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act .
NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to conserving and rebuilding sperm whale populations. We use a variety of innovative techniques to study, protect, and rescue these endangered whales. We engage our partners as we develop regulations and management plans that encourage recovery, foster healthy fisheries, reduce the risk of entanglements, create whale-safe shipping practices, and reduce ocean noise.
Commercial whaling from 1800 to the 1980s greatly decreased sperm whale populations worldwide. The International Whaling Commission placed a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. The species is still recovering, and its numbers are likely increasing.
Visit the most recent stock assessment report to view population estimates for sperm whales in U.S. waters.
Sperm whales are mostly dark grey, though some whales have white patches on the belly. They are the only living cetacean that has a single blowhole asymmetrically situated on the left side of the crown of the head. Their heads are extremely large, accounting for about one-third of their total body length. The skin just behind the head is often wrinkled. Their lower jaw is narrow and the portion of the jaw closest to the teeth is white. The interior of the mouth is often bright white as well. There are between 20 and 26 large teeth on each side of the lower jaw. The teeth in the upper jaw rarely break through the gums.
Sperm whale flippers are paddle-shaped and small compared to the size of the body, and their flukes are triangular. They have small dorsal fins that are low, thick, and usually rounded.
Sperm whales hunt for food during deep dives that routinely reach depths of 2,000 feet and can last for 45 minutes. They are capable of diving to depths of over 10,000 feet for over 60 minutes. After long, deep dives, individuals come to the surface to breathe and recover for several minutes before initiating their next dive.
Because sperm whales spend most of their time in deep waters, their diet consists of species such as squid, sharks, skates, and fish that also occupy deep ocean waters. Sperm whales can consume about 3 to 3.5 percent of their body weight per day.
Sperm whales inhabit all of the world’s oceans. Their distribution is dependent on their food source and suitable conditions for breeding, and varies with the sex and age composition of the group. Sperm whale migrations are not as predictable or well understood as migrations of baleen whales. Some populations appear to have different migration patterns by life history status, with
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Sperm Sea

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