SPERM WHALE
- Mia Ben-Gal
- Nov 19, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 3, 2023
About
The Sperm Whale, also scientifically known as Physeter macrocephalus (Mediterranean subpopulation), is a carnivourous whale that is roughly 35 to 45 tons. These creatures may not be the largest of the whales but they still scale in a large size of about 49 to 59 feet, making them the larget toothed predator that roams Earth. A good chunk of their body is made up of their hear, which accounts for about one third of the sperm whale. Their brain is assumed to be the largest out of all the known creatures on earth. Their common name comes from the substance that fills their head called spermaceti. Many scientists are not completely sure what its function is, but many believe it may help the whale regulate its buoyancy. The spermaceti hardens to a wax when it cools down which scientists thing aid the whale in diving deep than rising back up to the surface again. Since these whales are toothed, their main source of food are squids, sharks, and deep water fish. One reason why the sperm whale dives into deep parts of the ocean is to search for squid to eat. They are known to be able to dive as deep as 3,280 feet into the ocean. This depth requires at least 90 minutes of holding their breath which the whale has learned to do. When a bunch of sperm whales are together in a group, it is called a pod. These pods consists of about 15 to 20 whales. Together they eat tons of fish and squid which are their main sources of food.
Sperm whales have a very lardge global distribution spanning from the equator to the Arctic and Antarctic. This makes their migration patterns hard to follow because where they go depends on what areas have the most suitable conditions for hunting and breeding. This specific population tends to be more predicable in the western basin in areas like the Balearic Islands and the Tyrrhenia Sea. In the eastern basin they are more likely to be swilling along the Hellenic trrench up to as far as Antalya Bay. It is however, not likely to be found in the Black Sea and the Trukish Straits System.
IUCN Listing & Recovery
As of Novemeber 16, 2020 the Sperm whale is listed on the IUCN a an endangered species. Under the ESA, "endangered means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range". This population is currently decreasing with about 250 to 2500 mature individuals. There is a continuous decline of these mature individuals which helps contribute to the IUCN's listing of the whale. Origonally Sperm Whales were subject to commericlal whaling for more than two and a half centuries all around the world (NMFS). This is the origonal reasoning for their decline as a population. However, these threats have changed over time. The new main threats that are assisting this continuous decline are energy production and mining, transportation and service corridors, biological resource use, human instrusions and disturbance, disease, and most importantly pollution. There are many different types of pollution which harm the sperm whale. These being domestic and urban waste water, agricultural effluents, and garbage and solid waste. Sperm whales suffer from noise pollution as well as ingestion and entanglement of different debris in the ocean. Plastic debris was found in 33% of Sperm Whales found stranded in Italy from between the years of 1998 and 2018 (University of Padua 2019). The most common of the plastic debris are microplastics, plastic bags, and fishing gear. This does not occur just from the sperm whale ingesting these harmful things, but also the food it eats. Due to the size of the sperm whale, it consumes a lot of organisms each day, this accumulation leads to a large amount of plastic found in the whales digestion track.
A recovery plan was organized for the Sperm Whale in December of 2010. The main goal of this plan is to get the species off of the IUCN's listing and hopefully lowering its status from endangered to threatened. The larger goal which will take a longer time to acheive is to ultimately remove the sperm whale from the Endangered Species list all together as they are defined by the ESA. In order to do so one of the first steps is to identify the human activities that may be limiting the recovery of the sperm whale.
There are nine steps outlined by the NOAA which I will quote below:
1. Coordinate state, federal, and international actions to implement recovery action and maintain international regulation of whaling for sperm whales;
2. Develop and apply methods to estimate population size and monitor trends in abundance;
3. Determine population discreteness and population structure of sperm whales;
4. Conduct risk analyses;
5. Identify, characterize, protect, and monitor habitat important sperm whale populations in the U.S. waters and elsewhere;
6. Ivestigate causes of and reduce the frequency and severity of human-caused injury and mortality;
7. Determine and minimize any detrimental effects of anthropogenic noise in the oceans
8. Maximize efforts to acquire scientific information from dead, stranded, and entangled sperm whales; and
9. Develop post-delisting monitoring plan
How Can You Help?
1. Keep Your Distance!
While yes these whales are gorgeous creatures and may be fascinating to watch it is best to stay away and to not approach or touch them. The NOAA has great guidlines and helpful tips on how to respect the animal as well as follwing the Endangered Species act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act's protocols.
2. Report Any Violations!!
If you see anyone being disrespectful towards the animal or habitat it surrounds itself in feel free to call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline. The number is (800) 853-1964. This number will take you to a representative in order to report a federal marine resource violation and is available 24/7.
3. Report Any Marine Life in Distress!
If you see any sick, injured, entangled, dead, or strangded animals, let a professional know. They will call the proper authorites who know exactly how to care for that animal to return it home safely. Please never try to appraoch or save an injured animal yourself unless you are qualified. You can help up hurting the animal more or yourself.
4. Donate!!
There are so many simple ways to get involved in the process of helping the Sperm Whale.
The Tethys Research Institue offers the ability to donate a minimum of 500 Euros in order to be able to give a name to one of the sperm whales they have identified. This donation will help continue the research of the sperm whale in order to learn more and conserve their population.
Another option for donation is to the Dominica Sperm Whale Project. This program is the first to have been consecutively following sperm whale families throughout many years. They have a great deal of information on the behavioral histories of these specific animals as well as a very characterized view of each whale. They have great interactive ways to get involved. If you are curious and passionate about these whales their email is: hello@thespermwhaleproject.org. I would highly reccomend reaching out to hear more. If that is too involved for you and you are looking to contribute in a different way the DSWP has a different way to accep donations. This year they are partnering with Airfare so people can donate miles to continue to support field research traveling.
Overall these truly are amazing creatures that need your help. Even if the first step is just educating yourself about them and making small consicous efforts to help the environment in anyway!!
Citations
Fisheries, N. (2019, November 6). Recovery plan for the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/recovery-plan-sperm-whale-physeter-macrocephalus
Fisheries, N. (2023, January 30). Sperm whale. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sperm-whale#:~:text=Sperm%20whales%20are%20the%20largest,in%20the%20Arctic%20and%20Antarctic
Fisheries, N. (n.d.). Marine Life Viewing Guidelines. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/marine-life-viewing-guidelines
Frantzis, A., Enrico Pirotta (Washington State University and School of Biological, E. and E. S., Eva Carpinelli (Nereide Association, T., Pauline Gauffier (CIRCE (Conservation, I. and R. on C., Caterina Lanfredi (Tethys Research Institute, M., Daniela Pace (Oceanomare Delphis Onlus / University of Rome ‘La Sapienza,’ R., & Luke Rendell (Sea Mammal Research Unit, S. of B. (2020, November 16). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16370739/50285671
Template, B. (2023, May 22). Sperm whales are wacky, weird, and wonderful! here’s why... National Marine Aquarium. https://www.national-aquarium.co.uk/blog/sperm-whales/#:~:text=They%20have%20the%20largest%20brains%20in%20the%20animal%20kingdom!&text=A%20bigger%20brain%20often%20means,creatures%20that%20roam%20the%20sea
Whale Social Network reveals surprising allies | Science | AAAS. (n.d.). https://www.science.org/content/article/whale-social-network-reveals-surprising-allies
What are the differences between endangered, threatened, imperiled, and at-risk species?. What are the differences between endangered, threatened, imperiled, and at-risk species? | U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.). https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-differences-between-endangered-threatened-imperiled-and-risk-species#:~:text=Under%20the%20Endangered%20Species%20Act,endangered%20within%20the%20foreseeable%20future
Whitehead, H., & Shin, M. (2022, November 14). Current global population size, post-whaling trend and historical trajectory of sperm whales. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24107-7
Written by: Mia Ben-Gal
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