Sperm Whale.
The winner of the title of the Largest Ocean Carnivore goes to the Sperm whale – the largest of the toothed whale species in the world.
Adult males can grow up to 60 feet long and weigh 40 tons (80,000 pounds!).
Males are usually about twice as large as the females.
Why sperm whale is called sperm whale?
Etymology. The name sperm whale is a truncation of spermaceti whale. Spermaceti, originally mistakenly identified as the whales’ semen, is the semi-liquid, waxy substance found within the whale’s head (see below).
How much sperm does a sperm whale produce?
The average blue whale produces over 400 gallons of sperm when it ejaculates, but only 10% of that actually makes it into his mate.
Is a sperm whale bigger than a blue whale?
That distinction goes to the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on Earth. The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), on the other hand, may not be the biggest whale, but it has the biggest brain to have ever existed on Earth.
What do sperm whales eat in Antarctica?
Sperm whale stomachs have been found to contain a whole range of cephalopods (squid, octopuses and cuttlefish), deep-sea fish, and non-food items. Cephalopods are thought to be the major prey. In some parts of the world, sperm whales have been known to steal the catch from longlines set by fishing boats.
Is it safe to swim with orcas?
Orcas are most definitely not safe to swim with. A lot of people don’t understand the dangers of swimming with orcas, in the wild or in captivity, they are extremely unpredictable. No marine facilities are allowed to condone marine biologists to swim with orcas in North America.
Can an octopus kill a human?
All octopuses have venom, but few are fatally dangerous. The greater blue-ringed octopus, however, is considered to be one of the most venomous animals known; the venom of one is enough to kill ten grown men. It uses the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, which quickly causes respiratory arrest.
What is whale sperm used for?
Applications. Ambergris has been mostly known for its use in creating perfume and fragrance much like musk. Perfumes can still be found with ambergris around the world. It is collected from remains found at sea and on beaches, although its precursor originates from the sperm whale, which is a vulnerable species.
How many blue whales are there?
A 2002 report estimated there were 5,000 to 12,000 blue whales worldwide, in at least five populations. The IUCN estimates that there are probably between 10,000 and 25,000 blue whales worldwide today.
How long do sperm whales live?
60 – 70 years
Do whales eat humans?
Killer whales (or orcas) are powerful predators capable of killing humans, leopard seals and great white sharks. They have also been recorded preying on usually terrestrial species such as moose swimming between islands. In the wild, there have been no fatal attacks on humans and only one reported bite.
Who eats whale meat?
The skin and blubber, known as muktuk, taken from the bowhead, beluga, or narwhal is also valued, and is eaten raw or cooked. Mikigaq is the fermented whale meat.
Do killer whales eat other whales?
Killer whales have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as seals and other species of dolphin. They have been known to attack baleen whale calves, and even adult whales.
Can a giant squid eat a sperm whale?
The only known predators of adult giant squid are sperm whales, but pilot whales may also feed on them. Juveniles are preyed on by deep-sea sharks and other fish. Because sperm whales are skilled at locating giant squid, scientists have tried to observe them to study the squid.
Do whale live in Antarctica?
Antarctic whales are any whales which are known to reside near Antarctica for at least part of the year. Humpback whale. Minke whale.
Has a sperm whale ever eaten a person?
While the veracity of the story is in question, it is physically possible for a sperm whale to swallow a human whole, as they have been known to swallow giant squid whole.
How many people have been killed by killer whales?
Fatalities. While orca attacks on humans are rare, as of 2013 four humans have died due to interactions with an orca. All such incidents happened with captive orcas, and Tilikum was involved in three of those.
Are sharks dangerous?
Out of more than 480 shark species, only three are responsible for two-digit numbers of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger and bull; however, the oceanic whitetip has probably killed many more castaways which have not been recorded in the statistics.
How many hearts does an octopus have?
three hearts
Are giant octopus real?
They are not to be confused with the known giant Pacific octopus, which is a member of the genus Enteroctopus, and can grow to a total length of more than 6 m (20 ft). The gigantic octopus is assumed to be much larger.
Are octopuses smart?
In particular, the Coleoidea subclass (cuttlefish, squid, and octopuses) is thought to be the most intelligent invertebrates and an important example of advanced cognitive evolution in animals, though nautilus intelligence is also a subject of growing interest among zoologists.
What is whale blubber used for?
Whaling largely targeted the collection of blubber: whalers rendered it into oil in try pots, or later, in vats on factory ships. The oil could serve in the manufacture of soap, leather, and cosmetics. Whale oil was used in candles as wax, and in oil lamps as fuel.
What is whale oil used for?
Source and use. Early industrial societies used whale oil widely in oil lamps and to make soap and margarine. With the commercial development of the petroleum industry and vegetable oils, the use of whale oils declined considerably from its peak in the 19th century into the 20th century.
How lipstick is manufactured?
Wax provides the structure to the solid lipstick. Lipsticks may be made from several waxes such as beeswax, ozokerite and candelilla wax. Various oils and fats are used in lipsticks, such as olive oil, mineral oil, cocoa butter, lanolin, and petrolatum. Lead and other trace metals are also found in many lipsticks.
Why is whaling illegal?
By the late 1930s more than 50,000 whales were killed annually. In 1986, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) banned commercial whaling because of the extreme depletion of most of the whale stocks. Anti-whaling countries and environmental groups oppose lifting the ban.
How long do blue whales get?
Female: 25 m
Northern hemisphere population, Adult
Male: 24 m
Northern hemisphere population, Adult
How much can a blue whale weigh?
50,000 – 150,000 kg
Adult
Are sperm whales extinct?
Vulnerable
What does the spermaceti organ do?
The spermaceti organ is an organ that commonly appears in the heads of toothed whales of the family Physeteroidea, in particular the sperm whale. This organ contains a waxy liquid called spermaceti and is involved in the generation of sound.
Is a sperm whale a carnivore?
Sperm whales are carnivores (meat-eaters). They mostly hunt medium-sized squid. They also eat many kinds of fish such as skate. Sometimes they hunt giant squid that live on the ocean bottom at great depths.