Sperm Whale Migration

Sperm Whale, Physeter macrocephalus, Caribbean Sea, Dominica, by Reinhard Dirscherl

Migration Illustrated

PRESENTS

 

Predators At Large

 
Written by Warren T. Planker
 
Photographs by Reinhard Dirscherl of Munich, Germany
 
 

Migration takes a different turn when your hunting ground is measured on a global scale. Meet the sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, the largest extant predator on planet Earth.  These toothed marine mammals are enormous, with many growing to over fifty feet long and weighing nearly fifty tons. Sperm whales have the largest brains in the animal kingdom and are among the most intelligent animals.

Social behavior of Sperm Whale, Physeter macrocephalus, Caribbean Sea, Dominica, by Reinhard Dirscherl

Adult male sperm whales migrate on solo treks along varying seasonal routes throughout all the world’s oceans, while females and young whales form pods and remain in warmer tropical waters. Both sexes prefer depths several thousand feet below the surface, though they are often observed in shallow waters….

 

To read and view the entire article on the official Nature and the Environment website, click: 

www.natenvo.com/sperm-whale-migration

 

Predators At Large

 
The Sperm Whale
 
Physeter macrocephalus
  
 
By Warren Planker
 
Photographs by Reinhard Dirscherl of Munich, Germany