Twenty three sperm whales traveling together | Sri Lanka

A group of twenty three sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) traveling together. These whales (all females and immature individuals) were part of a much larger aggregation or superpod that I estimated to comprise around 100 individuals. The reason for such a large gathering is unclear, though it may have something to do with reproduction. Some time after this encounter, I came across another large group in the same area, which included a mature bull. Mature male sperm whales spend most of their time in colder waters, visiting tropical and temperate waters for the purpose of mating. The cloud of dark substance in the foreground is defecation from one of the whales, something which sperm whales seem to do often when they are at the surface.

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Filename: superpod-sperm-whales-sri-lanka-mirissa-physeter-macrocephalus-201303-0345.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No reproduction in any form without prior written permission
Image Size: 5267x3510 / 52.9MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Whale Sperm Whale Animalia Chordata Mammalia Cetacea Odontoceti Physeteridae Physeter macrocephalus Cetartiodactyla Cachalot Marine Mammal Odontocete Physeter catadon Toothed Whale CITES Appendix 1 Vulnerable: IUCN Red List Superpod Indian Ocean Sri Lanka Mirissa
Contained in galleries: Marine Life Reproduction, Marine Life | Sri Lanka, Sperm Whales

A group of twenty three sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) traveling together. These whales (all females and immature individuals) were part of a much larger aggregation or superpod that I estimated to comprise around 100 individuals. The reason for such a large gathering is unclear, though it may have something to do with reproduction. Some time after this encounter, I came across another large group in the same area, which included a mature bull. Mature male sperm whales spend most of their time in colder waters, visiting tropical and temperate waters for the purpose of mating. The cloud of dark substance in the foreground is defecation from one of the whales, something which sperm whales seem to do often when they are at the surface.