Sperm whales give birth to only one calf at a time, and at birth, baby Sperm Whales are enormous – over 13 feet (4 m) long. The fictional Moby Dick was a sperm whale. Sailors for the Sea developed the KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) program to create the next generation of ocean stewards. The sperm whale is distinguished by its extremely large head, which takes up to 25 to 35% of its total body length. Other names: Lesser cachalot, short-headed sperm whale, lesser sperm whale. 9. 8. Female Pygmy Sperm Whales are generally only about two-thirds the length of the males and half the weight. "Whale Dies on N.C. beach" Associated Press. Male Female Calf; Maximum length: 3.8m: 3.8m: 1.2m: Maximum weight: 450kg: 450kg: Unknown: IUCN conservation status: Data Deficient. The sperm whale’s very large brain and specialized sonar organ (called a melon) contribute to its characteristic block-shaped head. 3. Adult males grow to be about 50-60 feet (17-20 m) long, weighing about 40-50 tons (36-45 tonnes). Sperm whales (Physeter catodon), or cachalots, are the largest of the toothed whales, with males up to 19 meters (62 feet) long—more than five times the length of a large elephant—and females up to 12 meters (39 feet) in length. The Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus. For about the first 10 years of life, males ar… Adult weight: 63 tonnes males max. Blue Whales have been known to grow up to 100 feet. Sperm Whale grows to be around 50 to 55 ft in length and they weigh around 35 to 45 tons. An average Sperm Whale weighs between 38.5-65 … Herman Melville", "What is a Whale? Whereas dwarf sperm whales can only grow to 9 feet. Meet the Sperm Whale Length: 1:07 min. The species name is Physeter catodon.Another name which appears in the literature for the same species is Physeter macrocephalus which refers to the sperm whale's large head.. The Size of the Sperm Whale. "But in terms of overall length, the blue whale probably has the largest, with specimens measuring 20 feet [6 meters] long in whales that are 100 feet [30 meters] in total body length." Sign our petition to tell GrubHub to take shark fin off the menu now – before the ocean’s most iconic predators disappear. Sperm whales can stay underwater for up to 60 minutes at a time. Diet: Mainly squid, but also fish, octopi, rays, and megamouth sharks Maximum length: 18m (60ft) males / 12.5m (41ft) females, average around 16m. Click here or below to download hands-on marine science activities for kids. One common theory is that the fluid—which hardens to wax when cold—helps the whale alter its buoyancy so it can dive deep and rise again. While one or more mothers dive, others stay with at the surface with the young. Sperm whale is a giant among toothed whales, all other toothed whales are much inferior in size. Heptner, V. G.; Nasimovich, A. 13 December 1992. 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