Social behaviour Sperm whale

sperm whales adopt marguerite formation defend vulnerable pod member.

adult males not breeding live solitary lives, whereas females , juvenile males live in groups. main driving force sexual segregation of adult sperm whales scramble competition mesopelagic squid. females , young remain in groups, while mature males leave natal unit somewhere between 4 , 21 years of age. mature males form loose bachelor groups other males of similar age , size. males grow older, typically live solitary lives. mature males have beached together, suggesting degree of cooperation not yet understood. whales rarely, if ever, leave group.

a social unit group of sperm whales live , travel on period of years. individuals rarely, if ever, join or leave social unit. there huge variance in size of social units. commonly between 6 , 9 individuals in size can have more twenty. unlike orcas, sperm whales within social unit show no significant tendency associate genetic relatives. females , calves spend 3 quarters of time foraging , quarter of time socializing. socializing takes place in afternoon.

when sperm whales socialize, emit complex patterns of clicks called codas. spend of time rubbing against each other. tracking of diving whales suggests groups engage in herding of prey, similar bait balls created other species, though research needs confirmed tracking prey.

relations other species

the common natural predator of sperm whales orca, pilot whales , false killer whales harass them. orcas prey on target groups of females young, making effort extract , kill calf. adults protect calves or injured adult encircling them. may face inwards tails out (the marguerite formation , named after flower). heavy , powerful tail of adult whale can deliver lethal blows. alternatively, may face outwards (the heads-out formation ). other sperm whales, southern right whales had been observed perform similar formations. however, formations in non dangerous situations have been recorded well. whalers exploited behaviour, attracting whole unit injuring 1 of members. if orca pod extremely large, members may able kill adult female sperm whales. solitary mature males known interfere , come aid of vulnerable groups nearby. individual large mature male sperm whales have no non-human predators, , believed large, powerful , aggressive threatened orcas. in addition, male sperm whales have been observed attack , intimidate orca pods. incident filmed long-line trawler: orca pod systematically taking fish caught on trawler s long lines (as lines being pulled ship) when male sperm whale appeared repeatedly charge orca pod in attempt drive them away; speculated film crew sperm whale attempting access same fish. orcas employed tail outward , tail slapping defensive position against bull sperm whale similar used female sperm whales against attacking orcas.

sperm whales not known forging bonds other species, observed bottlenose dolphin spinal deformity had been accepted pod of sperm whales. known swim alongside other cetaceans such humpback, fin, minke, pilot, , orca whales on occasion.