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You might think that the sperm whale gets its name from its body shape or some kind of mating habit, but the truth is that the sperm whale gets its name from something completely different. The name “sperm whale” comes from a substance filled with spermaceti oil found in an organ in the whale’s head.This oil has a white semi-liquid appearance and the early whalers of the early 19day Century thought it was a sperm stash for whales. They were incorrect, but the name was kept.
Why do sperm whales have whale oil in their bodies?
Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales. They can grow up to 52 feet long and weigh up to 90,000 pounds. Scientists are still not sure why they get “oily heads,” but there are some guesses. The spermaceti organ is very large, located in the upper half of the whale’s head, and extends to almost half of the whale’s body, covering 40% of the whale’s body. This organ holds 530 gallons of spermaceti! Think of the slam dunk tanks at the show, these tanks typically hold 500 gallons of water, similar to the amount of oil in a sperm whale!
So why do sperm whales have so much oil? Two assumptions exist and work together. The first thought was that it was used like a dolphin’s melon, for delivering and focusing sound. Unlike baleen whales, toothed whales use echolocation as a tool for locating prey, avoiding predators, and navigating. They make a noise or click, then wait for the noise to bounce off the object and send back a noise wave.
Another theory about the use of vats of whale oil is that it was used as a buoyancy system to assist whales in their deep dives and return to the surface. Sperm whales are among the deepest diving animals on Earth, often down to 3,000 feet. The purpose of these dives is to find food and their favorite food, giant squid. Sperm whales are mammals, so they breathe air; they don’t have gills, so they have to return to the surface to breathe air. So how can they dive so deep? Their lungs are large enough to hold enough oxygen for a 90 minute dive!
What did whalers use spermaceti oil for?
The value of spermaceti is that it forms a waxy substance when cooled, which is used in a variety of products. It was originally valued for its thinness and resistance to pressure and temperature, making it an ideal material for candles. Whalers sold it for lighting in oil lamps and as a lubricant, and later in cosmetics, detergents and soaps. During the Industrial Revolution, many machines needed lubricants to keep everything running smoothly, and whale oil provided just what they needed.
Now that we know, why not change the name of the sperm whale?
There are all kinds of animals that are inappropriately named, and few lawyers are available to defend them. Consider the sperm whale’s cousin, the killer whale. Killer whales are actually part of the dolphin family and may not like the aggressiveness of their namesake. Whale sharks are actually sharks, not whales, and it can be disturbing to have to always explain that. For now, the sperm whale will have to bear the same name.
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I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.