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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Animals

Whales

Sperm whale

Physeter macrocephalus

Sperm whales are the deep divers of the ocean, living in close family groups. With luck and patience, we may see one at the surface.

VulnerableIn 114 Atlas countries

Vulnerable (IUCN, 2019) means it is at high risk of extinction in the wild.

Sperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off Dominica
Photo: Ray Harrington on Unsplash
Sperm whale fluke rising as it starts a deep dive
Photo: Frerich Kleyboldt on Unsplash
Sperm whale head surfacing, blowhole visible, in deep blue ocean
Photo: Winston Chen on Unsplash
Sperm whale raising its broad triangular fluke before a dive
Photo: Maximilian Brand on Unsplash
Sperm whale swimming just below the ocean surface
Photo: Winston Chen on Unsplash
Sperm whale logging at the surface with its low dorsal hump
Photo: Winston Chen on Unsplash
Sperm whale fluke lifting clear of the blue sea
Photo: Winston Chen on Unsplash
Two sperm whales resting side by side at the surface
Photo: NOAA on Unsplash

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

Males about 15.8 m (52 ft); females about 12.2 m (40 ft)

Weight

Males about 41 tonnes (about 90,000 lb); females about 13.6 tonnes (about 30,000 lb)

Next to a person

An adult male is about 9 adults lying head to toe; a female about 7

What it eats

Mostly squid, plus sharks, skates and fish caught in deep water.

Around people

Calm, give space

How it lives

Sperm whales hunt on deep dives that often reach hundreds of metres, sometimes more than 1,000 m, and can last up to 45 minutes. Females and young live in close family groups, while young males leave and later roam more widely. Calves suckle by putting their lower jaw into a slit on the mother's body. Families talk with learned click patterns called codas, but what most codas mean is still unknown.

Where it goes

Adult males travel to cold, high-latitude waters to feed and come back to warm waters to breed, while females and young mostly stay in warmer seas all year. Some males make very long journeys, and photo matches have linked the same whale in places thousands of kilometres apart. In Timor-Leste, sperm whales are among the large whales that use the Wetar and Ombai straits in the October to December season.

Populations

Sperm whale social life differs strongly between males and females and between regions. The Mediterranean subpopulation is listed as Endangered. One of the world's few resident populations lives off Dominica's west coast, now protected inside a sperm whale reserve. In Timor-Leste they are confirmed in the Wetar and Ombai straits from October to December, and off Kaikōura, New Zealand, male sperm whales come close to the coast through much of the year.

Meet it respectfully

We watch from a boat and never swim with sperm whales unless the place has a legal permit system. We never crowd, touch, chase or block them, never separate mothers and calves, and we leave a group that dives, turns away or becomes restless. In Dominica, local law allows swimming only inside the Sperm Whale Reserve with a government permit, and no one may approach whales that are nursing, giving birth or disturbed. In the Azores and Madeira swimming with whales is forbidden, and Azores rules keep boats 100 m from whales with small calves. Local rules in Sri Lanka and Mauritius keep boats at least 100 m away and ban entering the water with whales, New Zealand requires boats to stay 50 m away and bans swimming with whales, and in French Mediterranean waters coming within 100 m of marine mammals is illegal. In US waters, NOAA guidance asks for at least 100 yards (91 m).

Fun fact

Tap the bulb to light it up.

Where it goes

Follow its journey

Choose a journey and watch it travel. Every line comes from satellite tracking or documented research, and the source is named.

StartEndJourney (the line joins documented areas; real paths vary)

Where you may meet it

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.

FijiTanzaniaW. SaharaCanadaUnited States of AmericaKazakhstanUzbekistanPapua New GuineaIndonesiaArgentinaChileDem. Rep. CongoSomaliaKenyaSudanChadHaitiDominican Rep.RussiaBahamasFalkland Is.NorwayGreenlandFr. S. Antarctic LandsTimor-LesteSouth AfricaLesothoMexicoUruguayBrazilBoliviaPeruColombiaPanamaCosta RicaNicaraguaHondurasEl SalvadorGuatemalaBelizeVenezuelaGuyanaSurinameFranceEcuadorPuerto RicoJamaicaCubaZimbabweBotswanaNamibiaSenegalMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireGuineaGuinea-BissauLiberiaSierra LeoneBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.CongoGabonEq. GuineaZambiaMalawiMozambiqueeSwatiniAngolaBurundiIsraelLebanonMadagascarPalestineGambiaTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanVanuatuCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamNorth KoreaSouth KoreaMongoliaIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandNew CaledoniaSolomon Is.New ZealandAustraliaSri LankaChinaTaiwanItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomIcelandAzerbaijanGeorgiaPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaEritreaJapanParaguayYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandUgandaRwandaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoTrinidad and TobagoS. SudanBaird Bay and Eyre Peninsula, AustraliaBarunguba and Narooma, AustraliaBremer Bay, AustraliaCairns, Port Douglas and the Ribbon Reefs, AustraliaChristmas Island, AustraliaCocos (Keeling) Islands, AustraliaLady Elliot Island, AustraliaLord Howe Island, AustraliaNingaloo, AustraliaRowley Shoals, AustraliaTasman Peninsula and Eaglehawk Neck, AustraliaMaria Island and the east coast, AustraliaPond Inlet and the Nunavut floe edge, CanadaDigby Neck and Brier Island, CanadaSable Island, CanadaChiloé and the Gulf of Corcovado, ChileFrancisco Coloane, Strait of Magellan, ChilePunta de Choros and the Humboldt Archipelago, ChileRapa Nui, ChileRobinson Crusoe Island (Juan Fernández), ChileDominica, DominicaGalápagos, EcuadorAjaccio and the Gulf of Ajaccio, FranceBonifacio, Porto-Vecchio and the Lavezzi Islands, FranceMarseille, the Calanques and Cassis, FrancePort-Cros, Porquerolles and Hyères, FranceVillefranche-sur-Mer and Nice, FranceMoʻorea, French PolynesiaRurutu, French PolynesiaAlonissos, GreeceAmorgos, GreeceAntiparos, GreeceAthens Riviera and Attica, GreeceCorfu, GreeceCrete, GreeceFolegandros, GreeceHalkidiki, GreeceKalamata and Messinia, GreeceKalymnos, GreeceKea, GreeceKefalonia, GreeceKos, GreeceMilos, GreeceNaxos, GreeceNisyros, GreeceRhodes, GreeceSkopelos, GreeceZakynthos, GreeceAmed, Bali, IndonesiaGili Trawangan, IndonesiaKomodo, IndonesiaGili Air, IndonesiaMaratua and Derawan, IndonesiaRaja Ampat, IndonesiaNusa Penida, IndonesiaLovina, Bali, IndonesiaOkinawa, JapanLa Ventana, MexicoGuadalupe Island, MexicoSkjervøy and Kvænangen, NorwayFaial and Horta, PortugalMadeira, PortugalPico (Madalena and Lajes), PortugalPrincess Alice Bank, PortugalCabo de Palos and Cartagena, SpainEl Hierro and La Restinga, SpainFormentera, SpainFuerteventura, SpainGran Canaria, SpainIbiza, SpainJávea (Xàbia), SpainL'Estartit and the Medes Islands, SpainLa Herradura and Costa Tropical, SpainLa Palma, SpainLanzarote, SpainMallorca, SpainMenorca, SpainMálaga and the Costa del Sol, SpainTabarca and Alicante, SpainTarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar, SpainTenerife, SpainTrincomalee and Nilaveli, Sri LankaFlorida Keys (Key Largo), United StatesLa Jolla and the Channel Islands, United StatesMaui, United StatesOʻahu, United StatesSan Diego and La Jolla, United StatesJuneau and Southeast Alaska, United StatesGlacier Bay, United StatesSeward and Kenai Fjords, United StatesBimini, The BahamasAndros, The BahamasExuma Cays, The BahamasEleuthera, The BahamasKaikōura, New ZealandPoor Knights Islands, New ZealandBay of Islands, New ZealandHauraki Gulf, New ZealandAkaroa and Banks Peninsula, New ZealandSilfra, Þingvellir, IcelandHúsavík and Skjálfandi Bay, IcelandSnæfellsnes and Grundarfjörður, IcelandReykjavík and Faxaflói, IcelandWestfjords, IcelandTamarin and Flic en Flac, MauritiusBlue Bay and Mahébourg, MauritiusBelle Mare, MauritiusRodrigues, MauritiusWestpunt, CuraçaoWillemstad and the central coast, CuraçaoCuraçao Marine Park (southeast coast), CuraçaoKlein Curaçao, CuraçaoSoufrière and the Pitons, Saint LuciaAnse Chastanet, Saint LuciaWest coast deep water, Saint LuciaGrande Anse, Saint LuciaIlulissat and Disko Bay, GreenlandNuuk Fjord, GreenlandTasiilaq, East Greenland, GreenlandSolovetsky Islands, White Sea, RussiaKandalaksha Gulf, White Sea, RussiaCommander Islands, RussiaPiltun, northeast Sakhalin, RussiaKarachi turtle beaches (Hawksbay and Sandspit), PakistanChurna Island, PakistanAstola Island, PakistanDaran Beach, Jiwani, PakistanKish Island, IranHengam Island and Dolphins' Bay, IranQeshm Island and the Hara mangroves, IranDayer-Nakhiloo Marine National Park, IranXiaoliuqiu, TaiwanHualien, TaiwanVava'u and Ha'apai, TongaLomé to Aného coast, TogoComino and the channel south of Comino, MaltaGozo north and north west coast, MaltaBonaire and Klein Bonaire, Caribbean NetherlandsSaba and Saba Bank, Caribbean NetherlandsSint Eustatius, Caribbean NetherlandsHabibas Islands, AlgeriaTaza, AlgeriaLevera, GrenadaMolinière Bay, GrenadaCarriacou, GrenadaColombier and the marine reserve, Saint BarthélemyWallis Island lagoon, Wallis and FutunaFutuna, Wallis and FutunaCyprus, CyprusPort Antonio and Negril, JamaicaKaş, TürkiyeLa Digue, SeychellesMahé, SeychellesPraslin and Curieuse, SeychellesWatamu, KenyaDiani, KenyaShimoni and Kisite, KenyaLos Cóbanos, El SalvadorJiquilisco Bay, El SalvadorAntarctic Peninsula, AntarcticaSouth Shetland Islands, AntarcticaSouth Georgia, AntarcticaKiritimati (Christmas Island), KiribatiNorth Tarawa and Nooto wetland, KiribatiInner Hebrides (Coll, Tiree and Mull), United KingdomMoray Firth and Chanonry Point, United KingdomOrkney and Scapa Flow, United KingdomFarne Islands, United KingdomLundy, United KingdomTorshavn and Sandagerdi, Faroe IslandsFernando de Noronha, BrazilAbrolhos, BrazilPraia do Forte, BrazilSanta Catarina whale coast, BrazilBonito, BrazilCabo Polonio, UruguayIsla de Lobos, UruguayWadden Sea, NetherlandsZeeland coast, NetherlandsMáncora, Los Órganos and Cabo Blanco, PeruPunta Sal and the Tumbes coast, PeruParacas and the Ballestas Islands, PeruWest Cork coast, IrelandDingle Peninsula and Blasket Islands, IrelandShannon Estuary and Loop Head, IrelandBourail, Poé and Déva, New CaledoniaNouméa and the Great Southern Lagoon, New CaledoniaPoindimié and Hienghène, New CaledoniaÎle des Pins (Kunié), New CaledoniaKavieng and New Ireland, Papua New GuineaKimbe Bay, Papua New GuineaMilne Bay, Papua New GuineaTufi (Oro Province), Papua New GuineaIona National Park coast, AngolaKissama National Park coast, AngolaIfaty and Mangily, MadagascarNosy Be, MadagascarÎle Sainte-Marie, MadagascarJames Bay and the island marine park, Saint HelenaCoron, Palawan, PhilippinesMoalboal, Cebu, PhilippinesPanglao and Balicasag, Bohol, PhilippinesSiquijor, PhilippinesApo Island and Dauin, PhilippinesApo Reef, PhilippinesBoracay, PhilippinesEl Nido and Bacuit Bay, PhilippinesPort Barton and San Vicente, PhilippinesTubbataha Reefs, PhilippinesSal, Cabo VerdeBoa Vista, Cabo VerdeCap Blanc peninsula, Western SaharaAliwal Shoal and Umkomaas, South AfricaCape Town and Hermanus, South AfricaSodwana Bay, South AfricaReef platform and north shore, BermudaMalpelo, ColombiaGorgona, ColombiaNuquí, Bahía Solano and Utría, ColombiaProvidencia and Santa Catalina, ColombiaSan Andrés, ColombiaKadavu and the Great Astrolabe Reef, FijiPacific Harbour and Beqa Lagoon, FijiSavusavu and Vanua Levu, FijiTaveuni and Viani Bay, FijiYasawa and Drawaqa Manta Channel, FijiLittle Belt, DenmarkOresund near Helsingor, DenmarkRéunion, RéunionNauru coastal reef, NauruPuerto Madryn and Punta Loma, ArgentinaPenínsula Valdés and Puerto Pirámides, ArgentinaDrake and Caño, Costa RicaQuepos and Golfo Dulce, Costa RicaChuuk Lagoon, Micronesia (FSM)Kosrae, Micronesia (FSM)Pohnpei and Ahnd Atoll, Micronesia (FSM)Yap, Micronesia (FSM)Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, NamibiaSanta Catalina and Coiba, PanamaGulf of Chiriquí, PanamaPearl Islands, PanamaIsla Iguana and Isla Cañas, PanamaBocas del Toro and Bastimentos, PanamaGuna Yala, PanamaDhofar and the Hallaniyat Islands, OmanMusandam and Khasab, OmanMuscat and the Daymaniyat Islands, OmanTofo, MozambiqueMafia Island, TanzaniaMikindani and Mnazi Bay, TanzaniaZanzibar - Matemwe, Mnemba and Chumbe, TanzaniaMayumba National Park, GabonLoango National Park, GabonAnjouan, ComorosGrande Comore, ComorosMohéli, ComorosEmily Bay and Slaughter Bay, Norfolk IslandHeligoland, GermanyKreidesee Hemmoor, GermanyRuegen and the Baltic coast, GermanyLakshadweep (Agatti, Bangaram, Kadmat), IndiaNetrani and Murudeshwar, IndiaSwaraj Dweep (Havelock) and Barren Island, IndiaFunafuti Conservation Area, TuvaluSaipan, Northern Mariana IslandsBanc d'Arguin National Park, MauritaniaNouadhibou and Cap Blanc, MauritaniaArnavon Community Marine Park, Solomon IslandsGizo and Western Province, Solomon IslandsMarovo Lagoon and Uepi, Solomon IslandsMunda and Roviana Lagoon, Solomon IslandsOstend and Nieuwpoort coast, BelgiumAitutaki, Cook IslandsRarotonga, Cook IslandsBayahibe and the south coast, Dominican RepublicRas Hafun to Alula coast, SomaliaBajuni Islands, SomaliaSocotra Archipelago, YemenPerhentian Islands, MalaysiaTioman Island, MalaysiaFagatele Bay and the sanctuary, American SamoaOfu and the National Park, American SamoaAwala Yalimapo and the Amana reserve, French GuianaGalibi, SurinameBraamspunt, SurinameSalomon Atoll, Chagos (British Indian Ocean Territory)Peros Banhos, Chagos (British Indian Ocean Territory)Niue, NiueGuam, GuamMajuro Atoll, Marshall IslandsKwajalein Atoll, Marshall IslandsMayotte lagoon, MayotteFuvahmulah, MaldivesHanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll, MaldivesSouth Ari Atoll, MaldivesSaloum Delta, SenegalSea Lion Island, Falkland IslandsSouthern Bioko beaches, Equatorial GuineaGrand Kru coast, LiberiaLittle Bassa and Rivercess, LiberiaCôte des Arcadins, HaitiÎle-à-Vache, HaitiThree Bays Protected Area, HaitiFrench coast of Saint Martin, Saint MartinCulebra, Puerto RicoVieques, Puerto RicoLa Parguera, Puerto RicoRincon and the Mona Passage, Puerto RicoCham Islands and Hoi An, VietnamCon Dao, VietnamNha Trang, VietnamPhu Quoc, VietnamDe Gi coast, VietnamFakaofo atoll, TokelauEilat and the Coral Beach Nature Reserve, IsraelKosterhavet National Park, SwedenGullmar fjord and Lysekil, SwedenStockholm archipelago, SwedenKullaberg, SwedenEfate, Havannah Harbour and Moso, VanuatuEspiritu Santo and Aore, VanuatuMaskelyne Islands and South Malekula, VanuatuTanna, VanuatuMuanda and the Mangroves Marine Park, Democratic Republic of the CongoMuara and the Brunei coast, BruneiSt John and the national park, US Virgin IslandsOrango Grande and Orango National Park, Guinea-BissauPoilao Island, Guinea-BissauKhao Lak, Similan and Surin Islands, ThailandKoh Lanta and Hin Daeng, ThailandKoh Tao, Thailand

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AlgeriaAmerican SamoaAngolaAntarcticaArgentinaAustraliaThe BahamasBelgiumBermudaBrazilBruneiCabo VerdeCanadaCaribbean NetherlandsChagos (British Indian Ocean Territory)ChileColombiaComorosCook IslandsCosta RicaCuraçaoCyprusDemocratic Republic of the CongoDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaGabonGermanyGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuamGuinea-BissauHaitiIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIrelandIsraelJamaicaJapanKenyaKiribatiLiberiaMadagascarMalaysiaMaldivesMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesia (FSM)MozambiqueNamibiaNauruNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNiueNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPanamaPapua New GuineaPeruPhilippinesPortugalPuerto RicoRéunionRussiaSaint BarthélemySaint HelenaSaint LuciaSaint MartinSenegalSeychellesSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSpainSri LankaSurinameSwedenTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTokelauTongaTürkiyeTuvaluUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUS Virgin IslandsVanuatuVietnamWallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemen

Read more about the sperm whale

Whales and wildlife ethicsWhales Help Us Breathe: The Whale Pump, ExplainedRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsThe Azores: Meeting Sperm Whales Without Getting WetRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsDo Sperm Whales Really Poop to Escape Orcas?Read ↗Responsible travel and conservationWhen Whale Tourism Rules Are Still Taking Shape, We WaitRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsSwimming With Whales in Mauritius: Why We Say NoRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsAzores Sperm Whales: Meeting Them Without Getting WetRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsSperm whales in DominicaRead ↗Whales and wildlife ethicsWhales in Sri Lanka: what is legal and what is being soldRead ↗
Sources for this page

Facts checked 26 September 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.

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