Sperm Whale-Mirissa Sea

Scientific Name: Physeter macrocephalus

The sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales, reaching lengths of 18 meters  It is dark brownish gray in color  with skin that looks wrinkled like a prune. It has a huge, square head and instead of a dorsal fin it has a rounded hump, followed by a row of knuckle- like bumps. Because its single blowhole is at the front of the head on the left side, its blow shoots forward. The sperm whale got its name from an oil-like wax in its head, called spermaceti, which was prized by whalers.Sperm whales are very social and may be seen in groups of 15 to 30 animals. They prefer deep water ocean,