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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The Sperm whale can be seen all year round off Kaikoura and is the largest of the toothed whales. It is the third largest whale in the world, only beaten by the Blue and Fin whales.LENGTH: average 10-15m.
One of the more unique features of the sperm whale is its unusual box like head that contains the largest brain in the world. It accounts for 1/3 of its total body length and well over a 1/3 of the whales body weight. Stored in its unusual shaped head is a liquid called SPERMACETI. Once thought to be a reservoir of whale sperm, it is now known this liquid helps control the whale's bouancy. On cooling the liquid becomes denser creating negative bouancy and aiding in the dive, when warmed the opposite occurs. This remarkable feature helps the whales dive to the incredible depths they achieve. At Kaikoura they dive to depths of around 1000m (3000ft) but have been tracked to depths of around 2500m (7000ft), making them by far the deepest diving whale in the world. |
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