Sperm whale length

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. They are easily recognized by their enormous square head and narrow lower jaw. As far as we can tell, Moby Dick was the only sperm whale that delivered a unique brand of karmic justice to one-legged sea captains bent on vengeance. Are they called sperm whales because their body shape is similar to that of male sex cells, or is there another reason?

It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family , along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia. The sperm whale is a pelagic mammal with a worldwide range, and will migrate seasonally for feeding and breeding. The females cooperate to protect and nurse their young. Females give birth every four to 20 years, and care for the calves for more than a decade.

They possess the largest brain in the animal kingdom and spend much of their lives in the light-starved depths of the oceans hunting prey. The mighty sperm whales look nothing like any other whale. For a start, they each have an enormous square-shaped head which accounts for around a third of their body length.

The inspiration for the white whale of Moby Dick, sperm whales have the largest heads, biggest brains, and make the loudest sound of any animal on Earth. Region: Arctic. Destinations: Lofoten, Greenland, Svalbard, Iceland.