Sperm whale with longline hook in mouth | Japan

This was my first encounter with a sperm whale, a curious juvenile that pinged me with sonar and placed me on its head, then took one of my fins in its mouth. This whale had at some point investigated a longline, as it had a hook embedded in the crease of its jaw on the right side of its body, with fishing line trailing far back behind its fluke. I dived down to take a look at the hook, but the wound had long since healed over, making it impossible to attempt to remove the hook. This image is a film scan. This photograph received the Grand Prize at The Blue Earth Underwater Photo Contest in Japan in 2001.

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Filename: sperm-whale-with-longline-hook-in-mouth-ogasawara-200009.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication without prior written permission.
Image Size: 4091x6281 / 73.5MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Pacific Ogasawara Bonin Islands Japan Chichijima Odontoceti Odontocete Chordata Mammalia CITES Appendix 1 Cetacea Physeteridae Cetartiodactyla Physeter macrocephalus Sperm Whale Animalia Physeter catadon Vulnerable: IUCN Red List Toothed Whale Cachalot Marine Mammal Longline Hook Fishing Injury Juvenile
Contained in galleries: Say Ahhhhh!, Sperm Whales, Marine Life | Japan

This was my first encounter with a sperm whale, a curious juvenile that pinged me with sonar and placed me on its head, then took one of my fins in its mouth. This whale had at some point investigated a longline, as it had a hook embedded in the crease of its jaw on the right side of its body, with fishing line trailing far back behind its fluke. I dived down to take a look at the hook, but the wound had long since healed over, making it impossible to attempt to remove the hook. This image is a film scan. This photograph received the Grand Prize at The Blue Earth Underwater Photo Contest in Japan in 2001.