You can thank this critter for that
sweet smelling Christian Dior perfume… the Sperm
Whale.
Considered
the largest predator on Earth, these critters can dive soooooo deep that some
have been found tangled up in the transatlantic phone cables, more than a mile
below the ocean’s surface. In the deepest and darkest parts of the ocean is
where their prey of choice can be found; the giant and colossal squid. Using
echolocation to locate prey, old time marines thought that the ‘clicking’ sound
they heard was someone hammering a nail into wood. Their repetitive
vocalization can be heard from 40 miles away; however, this is not what makes
them blog worthy. These critters have one of the strongest family bonds. Whale
pods consist mostly of generations of grandmothers, mothers and daughters. Females
give birth to one calf every 3-6 years and will raise their young for 13 years.
The pod is so closely knit that the calf will be left with the pod while the
mother dives for food. If the calf gets hungry during this time he will nurse
from another female within the group. If the mother were to die the pod would
then raise the orphaned calf. Using this knowledge to their advantage, whalers
knew that by harpooning the calf, all other whales in the group would come to
its rescue, making this their ideal scenario. Sperm whales were mainly hunted
for their ambergris and spermaceti (oil found in the whales head) which was
used for cosmetics, candles and machine oil during the 18th and 20th
century. It’s estimated that 800,000 whales were killed worldwide during this
time. In 1973, Sperm whales became protected under the Endangered Species Act
passed by Richard Nixon. They are currently considered vulnerable according to
the ICUN, while it’s unlikely that their numbers will return to that of
pre-whaling, one can only hope.
Here’s an awesome video from PBS:
Inside Natures giants of a Sperm whale that washed ashore… It’s AWESOME!!! http://video.pbs.org/video/2188105613
