Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

Marine MammalToothed WhaleDeep Diver

Overview

The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest toothed whale and the largest predator with teeth on Earth. Its enormous squared head, low bushy blow angled forward and to the left, and wrinkled skin make it unmistakable.

Most of that head is not brain but the spermaceti organ, a mass of waxy oil-filled tissue involved in producing and focusing sound. Sperm whales generate the most powerful biological sonar known, which they use to locate prey in complete darkness.

They are among the deepest and longest divers of any air-breathing animal, descending far into the deep sea to hunt squid, and they have the largest brain of any animal that has ever lived.

Habitat & Range

Sperm whales are found in deep water throughout the world's oceans, from the tropics to the edges of the polar ice. They prefer waters over deep canyons and continental slopes where squid are abundant. Distribution is strongly divided by sex and age: females and young remain in warmer waters year-round, while mature males range far into cold high latitudes and return to breed.

Diet

Sperm whales feed mainly on squid, including very large deep-sea species, along with octopus and deep-water fish such as rays and sharks. Prey is located and pursued on long, deep foraging dives, and sucker scars on the heads of many whales record encounters with large squid.

Behavior

Females and immature animals live in long-lasting social units and cooperate in caring for calves, while mature males are largely solitary. Sperm whales communicate with patterned bursts of clicks called codas, and different social groups use different coda repertoires — a difference researchers describe in terms of cultural variation. Dives are long and deep, separated by extended periods of recovery breathing at the surface.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Sperm whales were the central target of historical whaling for spermaceti and oil, the industry behind Moby-Dick, and were hunted again heavily in the twentieth century. Today the main pressures are entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, underwater noise that interferes with sound-based foraging, and ingestion of marine debris. Verify current status at the IUCN Red List and NOAA Fisheries.