Sperm whale off the coast of Roseau, Dominica, in the Caribbean Sea
© Tony Wu/Minden Picture
Info. Sperm whale off the coast of Roseau, Dominica, in the Caribbean Sea
We’re looking at the largest toothed whale on Earth. The sperm whale can grow up to 20 metres long, and males do not reach their full size until about 50 years old. The head makes up about one-third of the length, giving this whale the largest brain and jaw ever recorded on a mammal. They eat over 900 kilograms of fish and squid per day and can dive over 1,000 metres in search of food, holding their breath underwater for up to 90 minutes. The giant animal was made famous in Herman Melville's 1851 novel ‘Moby-Dick’.
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