Sperm whale

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sperm-whale

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How deep is Sperm whale?Confirmed dives over 2,000 meters (6,560 ft), with potential for deeper dives
2. What is the scientific name?Physeter macrocephalus
3. What is the lifespan?Estimated average lifespan of 70 years, with potential to live longer
4. What makes the sperm whale's head so special?The sperm whale's head is huge, making up about 35% of its body weight. Inside the head is the spermaceti organ, a big cavity filled with a waxy liquid that may help the whale focus sound waves for hunting and keep it buoyant while diving.
5. What do sperm whales eat?Sperm whales mainly eat large cephalopods, like giant and colossal squid, that live in the middle and deep parts of the ocean.

Spermaceti: A waxy substance found in the spermaceti organ of the sperm whale, historically valued for its use in lubricants and candles.
Mesopelagic Zone: The ocean layer between 200 and 1,000 meters deep, characterized by low light and high pressure, a primary foraging ground for sperm whales.
Matrilineal Society: A social system where descent and inheritance are traced through the female line, as seen in female sperm whale groups.