Sperm Whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Points
20
per confirmed sighting
Sperm Whale.
Physeter macrocephalus
Category
mammals
Family
Physeteridae
Size
Females reach up to about 35 ft (10.7 m); mature males about 52 ft (15.8 m), with pronounced sexual size dimorphism.
Points
20 pts
A closer look
Field notes for spotting, identifying and understanding sperm whale in its natural range.
Overview
How to identify it
Habitat
Deep ocean waters worldwide; females and young are more associated with tropical/subtropical waters while adult males range farther into temperate and high latitudes.
Diet
Deep-water predator of squid, sharks, skates and fish.
Behaviour
When to look
Active day and night; deep foraging dives routinely reach about 600 m and last around 45 minutes.
Where to see it
South Africa
Namibia
Mozambique
AngolaSafety and etiquette
Observe from a safe distance and never handle or feed wildlife.
Verification and sources
1500 verified species across ten Southern African countries. Spotted an error? Tell us through community guidelines.