The Pygmy Sperm Whale can grow to 11.5 feet long and weigh as
Education Marine Mammal Species Information - Marine Mammal Conservancy (MMC)
Pygmy Sperm Whale
(Kogia breviceps)
The Pygmy Sperm Whale can grow to 11.5 feet long and weigh as
much as 880 pounds. Group sizes range from 3 to 6 animals. They
are often observed, if at all, bobbing quietly at the surface of
the water. If startled while in this position, they may defecate,
emitting a cloud of reddish-brown feces into the water. Beached
pygmy sperm whales have also been observed to defecate a fine chocolate-like
feces. Some photographs of this species show a light crescent at
the exact place where a larger fish may have a gill slit. In this
marine mammal, it is often referred to as a false gill. It is also
characterized by an underslung lower jaw, located well behind the
tip of the snout. These last two characteristics are similar to
a shark's appearance and are thought to be protection against actual
sharks. Pygmy sperm whales eat squid, fish and krill. Pygmy sperm
whales can be found mostly along the continental shelves near the
coast.
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