Sperm Whale

The Sperm Whale

The sperm whale, known to science as Physeter macrocephalus, is the largest of the toothed whales, which includes other members such as the dolphin and killer whale. As with all whales, they are mammals and require air to breathe. Sperm whales get their name from the oily fat, known as spermaceti, which is contained in their large heads. They can stay underwater for up to two hours before coming up for air. They eat a variety of fish and eels, but their favorite food is the giant squid. We know this because many dead whales are found to have squid in their stomach, and many bear the scars of the giant squid's powerful tentacles. The whales take a large breath of air then dive to a depth of up to 10,000 feet to search for squid.