LITERARY WHALE!

LITERARY WHALE!

We’re super excited to meet some cetaceans this week! Edmond even put on his snorkel gear to get closer to these great animals! Today we meet a whale made famous in the book Moby Dick!

• Sperm whales are found in oceans all around the world.
• Sperm whales are toothed whales and carnivores. They eat fish and squid!
• Sperm whales are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.
• Sperm whales can grow up to 59 feet long and weigh up to 45 tons. They are longer than a school bus! 
• Sperm whales are in fact the largest of the toothed whales!
• Sperm whales are known to battle and sometimes eat giant squid. Scientists have even observed squid suction cup wounds and scares.
• Sperm whales are very vocal and they use echolocation to help them find prey.

• Sperm whales are known to dive to very deep depths- as deep as 3,200 feet down.
• Their large squarish shaped heads are filled with a substance called spermaceti. Scientists are still unsure of it’s exact use, but they think it helps the whale maintain its buoyancy when it dives to deep depths.
• These amazing whales can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes.
• Female sperm whales live in pods in warmer waters all year round. They raise their young together.

• Sperm whales may be one of the best known species of whales on earth. The book “Moby Dick” is the story of the struggle with a famed white sperm whale and a whaler.

We love these giants of the deep! They are such amazing creatures. Many cultures in the South Pacific revere their teeth as sacred. We have a sperm whale coloring sheet for you too!