The Sperm Whale

T. Arnbom

The sperm whale is one of the most spectacular and amazing creatures on Earth. It is often written about and is featured in Disney's Pinochio and the novel "Moby Dick." The sperm whale, (Cachalot) or Physeter macrocephalus, tends to favor the deep sea and can be found 40 to 70 degrees north and south of the Equator. Males reach an average length of 15.8 to 18.5 meters and females reach an average length of 10.9 to 12.0 meters. Males tend to weigh 45 to 70 tons where females are smaller weighing 15 to 20 tons. They are dark grey or brownish grey in color and have paler to white colorations at the front of the head and on the belly as well as around the mouth. Sperm whales tend to have 20 to 25 large conical fuctional teeth in the lower jaw and up to 10 frequently curved teeth in the upper jaw. Sperm whales heads seem to be square-like and occupy at least one-third of the body. They have a single blowhole that projects forward at a sharp angle to left. They have no dorsal fin but a distinct triangular or rounded hump two-thirds of the way along their body, following the spinal ridge to their broad triangular and deep notched tail flukes. They favor the deep sea areas around the Aleutians in North Pacific, New Zealand, Peru and Chile in the South Pacific, as well as areas in the Atlantic, around South America, Europe and Asia for feeding and breeding. The present estimated population is around 2 million.

Andrea Vanessa & Erica @ the Advanced Technologies Academy