Lecture Notes: Understanding Sperm Whales

Overview of Sperm Whale Anatomy

• Skeleton of a Small Female Sperm Whale
  • Notable for its lower jaw lined with curved, backward-facing teeth.
  • Main predatory feature is located in the head.

Head Structure

• Size and Composition
  • The head is immense, comprising up to one-third of the whale's body length.
  • Filled with a substance called sperma ceti, which is a waxy, oily liquid.

Sound Production and Echolocation

• Mechanism of Sound Production
  • Sounds are generated at the front of the nose.
  • Travel back through the sperma ceti.
  • Hit the skull portion shaped like a satellite dish (parabola).
  • Sounds are focused and intensified as they pass back through the sperma ceti.
• Echolocation Process
  • Sperm whales use the beam of sound to build a three-dimensional picture of their surroundings.
  • Allows hunting in total darkness over 1,000 meters underwater.

Personal Experience with Sperm Whales

• Field Observation
  • Observing pod behavior, including a mother and calf.
  • Significant communication occurs in family groups.
• Acoustic Experience
  • Sounds can reach 230 decibels, louder than a jet plane.
  • Experiencing the sound's directionality and intensity physically.
  • Personal interaction with the whales’ echolocation as they scan and visualize objects.

Sperm Whale Characteristics

• Size and Weight
  • Largest males can be 20 meters long and weigh significantly more than large vehicles.
• Behavioral Traits
  • Possess close family bonds, curiosity, and a desire to communicate.

Summary

• Sperm whales are highly adapted to their environment with specialized anatomy for sound production and echolocation.
• They exhibit complex social behaviors and interactions with their surroundings, including humans.