Pygmy Sperm Whale

It wouldn't be wrong to say that the Pygmy sperm whale is the least known marine animal on our planet, as most of the information that we have about this species is derived from dead individuals which are found washed-up on shores. Until as recently as 1966, this whale species was mistakenly associated with the Dwarf Sperm Whale which is also found in the Atlantic and Pacific waters. However, recent studies have revealed that the two are different species belonging to the Sperm Whale family. The binomial name for this species is Kogia breviceps. The shy nature of these creatures has kept them off the human radars. While that has surely been a good thing for this species, it has resulted in us not knowing much about them.

Pygmy Sperm Whale Facts

As in case of other Sperm Whale species, even the Pygmy sperm whale has a 'spermaceti' organ on its forehead, from which it derives its name. Even though the members of this species are known to lead a solitary life, occasional sightings in groups have also been recorded. The tendency of this species to jump and flip all over the place has earned it the name the kujira, meaning the firecracker whale, in Japan. More of such facts about this species - particularly emphasizing on their basic traits - such as appearance, diet, natural habitat etc., are given below.

Size and Appearance
The most striking feature of this sperm whale species is its head, which is exceptionally big in comparison to its body. The dorsal fin in this species is smaller than that of a Dwarf Sperm Whale species with which it is often confused. The size of their dorsal fin plays a crucial role in differentiating the two Sperm Whale species from each other. Its color ranges from bluish gray to black - with light gray shade on either sides and pink colored belly region. On an average, this species is known to attain a length of 10 ft which makes them one of the smallest among the different types of whales on the planet. Though rare, individuals measuring around 14 ft have also been recorded. Even though the lower jaw in this species is very small as compared to their upper jaw, all their teeth (usually ranging between 20-32) are located in lower jaw itself.

Habitat and Geographical Distribution
The rare creatures that the Pygmy sperm whales are, it is very difficult to map their geographical distribution across the world. They are most often seen in off-shore temperate waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Even though rare sightings in tropical and subtropical waters have been recorded, they are not sufficient to claim that the geographical range of this species is so vast. Though migration is a natural phenomenon for most of the whales, the available data has no records of migration in this whale species.

Diet and Hunting
It is very difficult to determine the dietary habits or hunting abilities of any species which is so rare. As we mentioned earlier, most of our information about this species comes from dead individuals which were washed-up by waves. In the course of study of these washed-up specimen, researchers found carapaces and appendages of certain marine animals which these creatures probably fed on. Based on these studies, it is assumed that they most often hunt and feed on small marine organisms - including crabs, shrimp, squids, octopus and various other species of fish which are comparatively small in size.

The occasional sighting of this species coming from various parts of the world are not enough to understand the behavior of this species. With so little information available, it is very difficult to come to any specific conclusion about this species - and thus we don't even know how many Pygmy sperm whales are there in the wild, and what the conservation status for this species should be.