Its brain is bigger than that of any other animal on Earth. It communicates through a series of loud clicks. And it forms long-lasting groups, with females apparently helping to raise each other’s young.
Sperm whales are some of the largest animals on Earth. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationYet the sperm whale is known less for its gentle and intelligent traits and more for a waxy substance in its head, occasional bouts of temper, and its aromatic poop.
Sperm whales are some of the largest animals on the planet. Adult males grow up to 60 feet long and weigh 40 or 50 tons.
During the 1700s, whalers began slaughtering the creatures by the thousands. They craved a waxy oil in the whales’ skulls, which was used to make candles.
Whalers also took a substance called ambergris. It forms around the beaks of squid -- the sperm whale’s favorite meal -- in the whale’s digestive tract. The whales then excrete the substance. As it floats in the ocean, it dries and hardens, forming waxy lumps. This material has been used for millennia to make perfumes, spices, and even medicines.
The sperm whale developed a fearsome reputation -- and with good reason. In 1820, one attacked and sank a whaling ship. The story inspired Herman Melville to write one of the great works of early American literature: Moby Dick.
Marine biologists recently named an ancient relative of the sperm whale in Melville’s honor -- a killer with a big bite, and strong enough to rip other whales apart. More about “Melville’s Leviathan” on our next program.
