General Description
Head square, about one third the length of the body, with a thin teethed lower jaw. Dorsal fin is a wide triangular lump. Tail dark grey, triangular with a straight rear edge. Water spray from blowhole angles forward out of the forehead, with 5 or 6 blows per minute, about 5 m high. Up to 18 m long.
Biology
Sperm Whales can hold their breath for over an hour and dive to depths of 3000 m. They eat squid, fish and shoaling crustaceans. They are the largest of the toothed whales.
Habitat
Deep waters around the continental shelf, to depths of 3000 m.
Open water
Distribution guide
Worldwide. Most Australian waters. Potentially near Port Phillip, recorded from Victoria.
Species Group
Depth
Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)
Water Column
Max Size
18 m
Diet
Carnivore
Commercial Species
No
Global Dispersal
Recorded in Australia
Conservation Status
- DSE Advisory List : Not listed
- EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
- IUCN Red List : Vulnerable
- CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix I)