Idea #171 – Swimming with Great Sperm whales of the Azores
The Big Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus or catodon P.), collectively called sperm whale, is a species of cetaceans with teeth of the family of physétéridés and unique current representative of its genre, Physeter. It is present in all the oceans, and in the great majority of the seas of the world. However, only males venture into Arctic and Antarctic waters, females protecting their young people in hotter waters. The male can reach more than 20 meters in length, what makes it the biggest carnivore for the world.
The head can represent the thirdof the length of the animal. Its tail is triangular, very thick and powerful and split, and can measure until 4 m of wide. It is characteristic of every animal. It feeds largely on squids, as well as on fishes ; he can dive during almost one hour, in depths close to 3000 meters.
Sperm whales gather in ” pods “. Its only predator is the man and sometimes the killer whale, who attacks the youngest. Of the XVIIIth century till the end of the XXth century, the sperm whale was hunted as raw material, supplying the spermaceti, the oil of sperm whale and some ambergris.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Pico Island, Azores Archipelago, Portugal.
Larger Map
