Sperm whale
(Norsk: Spermhval)
Physeter macrocephalus
Population (Global, extrapolated) : 736,000
Conservation Status : Vulnerable
Only males are seen all year round in feeding grounds along the continental shelf (from northern Norway to Svalbard), in the Vestfjord June-September.
Identification: Dark grey/brownish & wrinkled skin, single blow hole (45 degrees) at front of enormous & square-shaped head, narrow lower jaw with white lips, paddle-like flippers, low hump as dorsal fin, fluke with trailing edge of nicks and notches (mostly used in photo-ID), fleshy knobs between dorsal fin and fluke
Group formation: Matrilineal groups (<12) Male Bachelor groups /solitary males
Size: males 14-19.2, females 10.5-12.5, calf 3.5-4.5 meters
Weight: males 35-70 tons, females 10-24 tons, calf 1 ton
Spout: Slanted; 2 meter at 45° angle
Diving range: 400-2035 meters, usually 30-50 minutes but up to 138 minutes (second deepest divers)
Age: 60-77 years
Sexual maturity: males 18-21 years, females 7-13 years
Physical maturity: males 40-50 years
Gestation: 14-18 months, 4-15 years in between
Weaning: 19-42 months
Diet: mostly squid (more than 25 species including giant and jumbo squid), fish (medium to large size deep sea fish including lumpsuckers and redfish), octopuses, sharks, skates
Distribution: Cosmopolitan, prefers ice free waters deeper than 1000m, continental shelf or canyons
Population size: Unknown, however extrapolated data suggests 736.000 individuals globally (mean of 2.31 whales/1,000 km2). Heavily exploited mostly due to whaling (ca 38% of pre-whaling population remain).
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Vulnerable (2025), Pop. trend: unknown (declining in Mediterranean and several other areas)
Marine debris (including plastic bags), vessel collisions, entanglement in fishing gear, overfishing, man-made noise impacts (seismic surveys, military sonar), pollution, and whaling (Japan, Indonesia)
Listen to the sound of a Sperm whale searching for food. This species can make the loudest biological sound, reaching 230 dB! There is a change of sound towards the end of the recording, what you hear are rhythmic clicks called codas, and are used for communication.
