Скачать или смотреть Ever seen a pocket-sized sperm whale? 🐋🔍

Meet the dwarf sperm whale, one of the ocean’s most elusive and mysterious creatures. These pint-sized whales max out at around 9 feet long, roughly the size of a large dolphin, but they’re true whales, complete with the iconic blunt head and tiny lower jaw of their giant cousins.

Dwarf sperm whales are incredibly rare to spot at sea. They spend much of their lives in deep offshore waters, surfacing quietly and often going unnoticed. Some marine biologists go their entire careers without seeing one alive in the wild. That’s why encountering two of them in the Sea of Cortez is nothing short of magic.

These whales have a surprising trick up their sleeve: when threatened, they can eject a cloud of dark ink, just like a squid, to confuse predators. Only a few whales are known to do this, including the pygmy sperm whale, their close cousin. Both species have a sac near their intestines that stores this ink-like fluid, a rare defense mechanism for a mammal.

Like many deep-diving marine mammals, dwarf sperm whales face threats from ocean noise, plastic pollution, and accidental entanglement. Protecting the remote waters of the Sea of Cortez is key to giving them a safe place to thrive.

Want to join us and explore one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth? Check out our expeditions! Link in bio. 🔗
Captured by @natureman.j during a @bajawildencounters Sea Of Cortez Safari Expedition.

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