Dwarf sperm whale
Kogia sima
Dwarf sperm whales are small, shy deep-water whales that can vanish without showing their tail, and can release an ink-like cloud when threatened.
Least Concern (IUCN, 2020) means it is not at high risk of extinction worldwide today.
Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.
Length
Up to about 2.7 m (9 ft)
Weight
About 136 to 272 kg (300 to 600 lb)
What it eats
Mainly squid and octopus, plus shrimp, crabs and fish.
Around people
Calm, give space
How it lives
Dwarf sperm whales are usually seen alone or in small groups of 10 or fewer. They spend little time at the surface, often resting or swimming slowly, and usually sink out of sight without lifting their tail. They hunt with echolocation and can dive to at least about 300 m (1,000 ft).
Where it goes
Little is known about their movements. They live in deep tropical and warm-temperate waters around the world.
We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.
Populations
Found in deep tropical and temperate seas worldwide, but population sizes, trends and structure are not well known. Around the Society Islands it is documented in the Society Archipelago Important Marine Mammal Area, but sightings are rare.
Meet it respectfully
Dwarf sperm whales are shy and easily disturbed. We avoid close boat approaches, chasing, repeated passes and swimming after them. If we meet one, we keep the moment short and let the whale decide.
Fun fact
Tap the bulb to light it up.
The pale 'false gill' mark behind its eye is only a marking, not a real gill.
When threatened it can release a dark reddish-brown cloud from its gut, sometimes more than 11 litres (3 gallons).
Dwarf and pygmy sperm whales were only recognised as separate species in 1966, and they can be almost impossible to tell apart at sea.
Dwarf sperm whale in the Ocean Atlas
Places we have researched where this animal is recorded. It is never guaranteed, and some places are for watching from the boat only.
Travel with usComing soonTrusted referralExploringOn pause, story onlyEthics pass
Country colour: pink where we travel, blue where we are exploring or refer, grey for story only.
Australia
The Bahamas
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Curaçao
Ecuador
France
French Polynesia
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
India
Japan
Martinique
Mayotte
Mexico
New Caledonia
Réunion
South Africa
Taiwan
United StatesSources for this page
- NOAA Fisheries, 2026
- SeaLifeBase, Kogia sima (IUCN 2020)
- CMS Technical Series No. 24, odontocetes
- IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, Society Archipelago IMMA
Facts checked 26 September 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.
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