A 20-ton sperm whale was photographed making a spectacular leap out of the water off the north side of Ikaria island in Greece.
The camera captured the sperm whale shooting out of the water with an impressive leap, and the fascinating image is making the rounds in social media.
More specifically, the 20-ton sperm whale was spotted in the Tafros area of Northern Ikaria and the particular leap is considered to be a normal behavior pattern, observed mainly during intense social activity of the species.
The photo was taken by a member of the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, a non-profit, non governmental organization operating to conserve and protect the biodiversity of the northeastern Mediterranean, with an emphasis on the Greek seas and islands.
In the social media post, Archipelagos says that “this photo suggests that communication and the strengthening of social bonds are likely the main functions of this (sperm whale) behavior.”
The area the shot is taken is considered one of the most important in the Mediterranean for the particular species, while the image with the blowpipe is impressive, as it is a spectacular launch of an animal weighing over 20 tons, which seems to “seemingly defy the laws of gravity”, as the post reads.
The Archipelagos Institute has been conducting systematic research in the Tafros area of Ikaria for 26 years. “It is a difficult research project: from the deep waters that reach 1,400 meters deep, the inaccessible coral habitats of Fourni island, to the surface waters. This is a particularly demanding research area, where each new recording continues to surprise and highlight the unique wealth of the Aegean,” the post reads.
Sperm whales in the Greek Seas
According to WWF Greece, sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), the third largest animal on the planet, with the largest brain that has ever been recorded, have found an ideal home in the Greek seas. Females and their young form social groups that may reach pods of up to 13 individuals, while males lead a solitary life. Within these groups, the young whales learn to dive, locate food, and protect themselves or work together.
Sperm whales are cetaceans, such as other species found in Greek waters including Cuvier beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) and fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and dolphin species, and are on the top of the marine trophic chain playing an important role in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem.
However, cetacean species, especially a sperm whale have a difficult time these days. These supreme hunters of the marine food chain and regulators of the health of the marine environment are threatened with extinction due to human activities. The main threats they face are increased maritime traffic, reduced fish supply due to overfishing, degradation of their habitats, pollution from plastics and and chemicals, underwater noise caused by seismic tests for hydrocarbon extraction, and naval exercises. A characteristic example is that in recent years, 50 percent of stranded cetaceans have collided with ships.
Amazing facts about sperm whales
Sperm whales sleep upright. They stand completely upright and motionless like columns, for just 10-15 minutes at a time.
They produce the loudest sound on the planet. Their sonar “clicks” reach 230 dB (louder than a jet plane). The vibration can cause damage to a human.
Their bodies produce a valuable “vomit”, that is, they produce ambergris to protect their stomach from the beaks of the squid they eat. This costs thousands of euros in high perfumery. They have an organ in their head that contains a special oil that freezes or melts, acting as a natural system to dive to depths of over 2,000 meters.
They have the largest brain in history, weighing about 9 kilograms (about 20 lbs), a size that has not been recorded in any other creature that has ever lived on Earth.
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