A whale with a large head and narrow lower jaw that dives into deep water to find food.
Its single breathing opening is on the left side of the top of the head.
Sperm whales dive for squid and fish, then return to breathe through a single blowhole on the left side of the head. Recorders reveal depths and durations hidden beneath the surface. Research in Mexico’s Gulf of California classified many dives into different types.
In the central Gulf of California, Mexico, 27 dive-recording tags were deployed in spring 2007 and 2008, and ten were recovered. The 2,872 dives selected for analysis were grouped into six types. For mid-water dives that did not approach the seabed, the median maximum depth was 340 m and median duration was 30.3 minutes.
Their lives connect a breathing surface with food in deep water. Time at the surface between dives also brings possible encounters with vessels.
US Endangered Species Act (ESA) · Endangered · Throughout its range
Vessel strikes, entanglement and underwater noise are threats. NOAA monitors populations and habitat use and responds to entangled or stranded whales.