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Sperm whale - PHYSETER MACROCEPHALUS
Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Whale": "Whale" comes from an old English word, derived from an even more ancient word, all of them simply referring to the animal.
Location: Oceans throughout the world between the latitudes of 700 North and 700 South.
Habitat: Aquatic. Coastal and deep waters, rarely found farther than 300 miles from the coast.
Description: The sperm whale's enormous head makes up at least a third of the entire body. The lower jaw is narrow and pointed, and the head is filled for the most part with a reserve of sperm oil. The dorsal fin is little more than a curved hump on the back. The first cervical vertebra is free, while the others are fused together. Only the lower jaw is equipped with teeth (20 to 30 on each side). A layer of fat (called blubber in whales) reaches a thickness of 12 inches, and accounts for a third of the animal's total weight. Sperm whales grow to about 60 feet long and weigh about 40 tons, with the females about 80% of the length of males, and 50 to 60% of the weight.
Behavior: The sperm whale travels in small pods consisting of one or two large males and several females, migrating from warmer to colder waters in accordance with the time of year. It feeds on molluscs. It is often possible to see on their heads the traces of wounds incurred during skirmishes with a giant octopus or squid. It was once thought that the giant squid killed and ate whales, but now the reverse is believed, and that these sucker marks are merely the dying gasps of the squid.
Reproduction: Mating takes place around April, and one calf is born after a gestation period of 16 months. The female reaches sexual maturity at about 9 years, but the male doesn't reach maturity until about 25 years.
Go to the Cetacea Page to learn more about the other whale-like animals.
Go to the Index to compare the various Whales found in America Zoo.
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