Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Vulnerable
Where the sperm whale lives – recorded in 38 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.
Pin and shaded countries are approximate. The pin is a representative wild sighting (a central record among 80,396 open-licence GBIF records), not an official range. Method · Records on GBIF · See whales & dolphins on the world map
| Scientific name | Physeter macrocephalus |
|---|---|
| Group | Whales & dolphins |
| Status | Vulnerable (Wikidata, IUCN category label) |
| Found in | 38 countries |
| Continents | Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America |
| Diet (main food) | Teuthida |
| Class | Mammal |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Family | Physeteridae |
Where does the sperm whale live?
Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the sperm whale in 38 countries and territories across Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America. Wikidata gives its range as: Brazil, Bragança.
- Portugal
- United States
- French Southern Territories
- Spain
- Guadeloupe
- France
- Iceland
- Norway
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Antarctica
- Australia
- Kiribati
- Mexico
- Chile
- Faroe Islands
- Ecuador
- Uruguay
- Indonesia
- Brazil
- French Polynesia
- Japan
- Chinese Taipei
- Peru
- Seychelles
- Ireland
- Papua New Guinea
- United Kingdom
- Angola
- New Caledonia
- United States Minor Outlying Islands
- Greenland
- Mauritius
- Madagascar
- Philippines
- Cape Verde
- Saint Helena
- Morocco
Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.
What does a sperm whale eat?
Wikidata lists the main food source of the sperm whale as: Teuthida.
Is the sperm whale endangered?
The sperm whale’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Vulnerable” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.
What kind of animal is the sperm whale?
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a mammal in the order Artiodactyla and the family Physeteridae, genus Physeter. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)
About the sperm whale
The sperm whale or cachalot (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale superfamily Physeteroidea, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia.
The sperm whale is a pelagic mammal with a worldwide range, and will migrate seasonally for feeding and breeding. Females and young males live together in groups, while mature males (bulls) live solitary lives outside of the mating season. The females cooperate to protect and nurse their young. Females give birth every four to twenty years and care for the calves for more than a decade. A mature, healthy sperm whale has no natural predators, although calves and weakened adults are sometimes killed by pods of orcas.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Sperm whale (revision 1379537253), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q81214 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).
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