Distinctive vocalizations from mature male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 1931-1937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda S. Weilgart ◽  
Hal Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Repetition Rate ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Mature Male ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Acoustic Contact ◽  
Highly Correlated

Groups of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) were tracked acoustically off the Galapagos Islands between February and April 1985. In total, 716 h were spent in visual or acoustic contact with the whales, during which time vocalizations were recorded for 5 min/h. Distinctive loud, ringing clicks, called "slow clicks," were highly correlated with the presence of mature male sperm whales. Slow clicks were distinguished from usual clicks by their slower repetition rate or interclick interval, their longer duration, and, usually the presence of intensity peaks at about 1.8 and 2.8 kHz. Between clicks of individual males (identified by photographs of natural markings), there were differences both in interclick intervals and in the pattern of emphasized frequencies. These differences, however, were not distinct enough to allow us to reliably distinguish one male's clicks from those of another. We hypothesize that slow clicks may be a sign of a mature or maturing male and may inform other sperm whales on the breeding grounds of its competitive ability and maturity.

The behaviour of mature male sperm whales on the Galápagos Islands breeding grounds

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hal Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Mature Male ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
Breeding Grounds

The behaviour of mature male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) was observed off the Galápagos Islands between 1985 and 1991. The abundance of males peaked in April and May at 3% of the population. Only 1 of the 18 photographically identified males was sighted off the Galápagos in two different years. In their residency periods off the Galápagos and their lack of preferred ranges, and in many aspects of their behaviour, males were similar to females. However, unlike females, males were sometimes seen alone and never performed any aerial behaviour. Although they were occasionally seen or heard together, there are indications that males avoided one another, perhaps by listening for the "slow click" vocalizations made by males approximately 75% of the time. One incidence of possible aggression between males was observed, and many males possessed parallel scars on their heads, presumably made during aggressive encounters. Males moved between groups of females, spending very approximately 8 h with each group. Groups of females were often revisited by particular males over periods of a few days but never over more than 1 week. Males showed no obvious preference for particular groups, although a few close associations between individual males and individual females were noticed over intervals of a few days. When males were present, females showed increased rates of making spyhops and sideflukes (indicating manoeuvring) and codas (a communicative vocalization). Copulation was not observed. The evidence is consistent with males' maximizing their expected reproductive success by roving between groups of females.

Social organization of sperm whales off the Galapagos Islands, February–April 1985

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 913-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hal Whitehead ◽  
Tom Arnbom
Keyword(s):  
Simple Model ◽  
Social Organization ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Searching Strategy ◽  
Breeding Grounds ◽  
Statistical Criteria

Between February and April 1985 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) were tracked visually and acoustically in the waters west of the Galapagos Islands. Individuals were identified and measured photographically. Using statistical criteria the female and immature whales encountered were clustered into 13 groups with closed membership during the study period. These groups had a median estimated population of 19.5 animals each, and associated with one another at different times. The groups showed no significant immigration into or emigration from the study area during the study. Seven large males were identified. These associated with each other and the groups of females and immatures for periods lasting approximately 6 h. Individual males were found with different groups of females and immatures at different times. A simple model suggests that a male employing a "searching" strategy should encounter more oestrous females than the traditionally accepted "harem" holder when the interval between encountering groups of females is less than the duration of the females' oestrus. Neither the groups of females nor the mature males appeared to possess territories or preferred ranges within the study area. The number of large males encountered was considerably less than that expected if all large males were present on the breeding grounds, suggesting that males may not breed every year.

Distribution and behaviour of male sperm whales on the Scotian Shelf, Canada

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 912-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hal Whitehead ◽  
Sebastian Brennan ◽  
David Grover
Keyword(s):  
Social Organization ◽  
Submarine Canyon ◽  
Mature Male ◽  
Consistent Pattern ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Scotian Shelf ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
Northern Bottlenose Whales ◽  
The Tropics

Studies of mature male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) were carried out on the Scotian Shelf during the summers of 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1990. Sperm whales were found principally along the edge of the Shelf, although there were some encounters in water less than 100 m deep. Within the Gully, a prominent submarine canyon, sperm whales showed a consistent pattern of distribution between years, distinct from that of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus). Some male sperm whales were individually identified in the Gully after periods of 2–47 days, and in one case, after 2 years. The male sperm whales showed little evidence of social organization and rarely performed aerial behaviour. However, their diving behaviour was similar to that observed from female sperm whales in the tropics. On one occasion a group of presumed female and immature sperm whales entered the Gully, attracting the attention of resident mature males.

Behaviour and Vocalizations of Two Single Sperm Whales, Physeter macrocephalus, Off Nova Scotia

1988 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 1736-1743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Mullins ◽  
Hal Whitehead ◽  
Linda S. Weilgart
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Sound Production ◽  
Ocean Floor ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Scotian Shelf ◽  
Male Sperm

During June 1986, two male sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, on the Scotian Shelf were tracked by listening for their clicks with a directional hydrophone for periods of 12.5 and 7 h, respectively. Each whale travelled along the edge of the shelf at about 2 kn (3.6 km/h), and one whale, on two occasions at least, dived to the ocean floor. After about 30 min underwater, the whales spent approximately 9 min at the surface breathing. When the whales were visible at the surface, they were silent, except on one occasion when "slow clicking" (mean interclick interval of 4.6 s) was heard from Whale 2. While underwater, most of the sound production consisted of "usual clicks" (mean interclick interval 0.96 and 0.69 s for the two whales) interrupted by frequent short silences (mean durations 21.06 and 27.82 s) and occasional "creaks" (with interclick intervals less than 0.2 s) and "slow clicks." No "codas" (stereotyped patterns of clicks) were heard from these two single whales. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that "usual clicks" and "creaks" are used for echolocation and "codas" for communication.

scholarly journals Long-term associations among male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244204
Author(s):  
Hayao Kobayashi ◽  
Hal Whitehead ◽  
Masao Amano
Keyword(s):  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Association Rate ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
The Social ◽  
Pelagic Habitat ◽  
Best Fitting ◽  
Social Associations

Little is known about the social structure of male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) after they leave their natal units. While previous studies found no evidence for preferred associations among males, the observation of mass-strandings consisting exclusively of males, suggest that they have strong social bonds. To investigate the social associations among male sperm whales, we used half weight index of association, permutation tests and standardized lagged association rate models on a large photo-identification database collected between 2006 and 2017 in Nemuro Strait, Japan. Our results suggest that while male sperm whales are not as social as females, they do form long term associations, have preferred companionship, and forage in social proximity to each other. The best-fitting model to the standardized lagged association rate showed that associations among males last for at least 2.7 years and as most males leave the area after 2 years, associations may last for longer. Twenty dyads were observed associating over more than 2 years, for a maximum 5 years. One dyad was observed associating on 19 different days and clustered on 7 different days. Male associations may function to enhance foraging or to fend off predators. Such relationships seem to be adapted to a pelagic habitat with uncertain resource availability and predation pressure.

scholarly journals Social structure and residency in aggregations of male sperm whales

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 1189-1196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erland Lettevall ◽  
Christoph Richter ◽  
Nathalie Jaquet ◽  
Elizabeth Slooten ◽  
Steve Dawson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
Residence Times ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
Close Spatial Proximity

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are sexually dimorphic in several respects, including size, latitudinal distribution, and social structure. Females are known to have complex social structures, including long-term bonds, but the social structures of sexually mature or maturing males have received much less attention. Using data from aggregations of males off Norway, Nova Scotia, New Zealand, and the Galápagos Islands, we examined aggregation size, residence times within aggregations, clustering at the surface, and long-term bonds. Results were generally consistent among study areas. The aggregations found in each area contained around 10–30 males at any time, and were usually a few tens of kilometres across. Mean residence times within aggregations ranged from a few days to a few weeks. Close clustering at the surface was rare, but present at each site. There was no evidence for preferred companionship between individuals at any temporal scale in any of the study areas. The rarity of clustering and the apparent lack of long-term relationships amongst male sperm whales contrast strongly with results of studies on females, suggesting that both close spatial proximity at the surface and permanent bonds between individuals may be a consequence of the need for care of the young.

Population Structure of Female and Immature Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) off the Galápagos Islands

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hal Whitehead ◽  
Susan Waters ◽  
Thomas Lyrholm
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Population Structure ◽  
Maximum Likelihood ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Population Parameters ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Population Simulation

The structure of the population of female and immature sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in the region of the Galápagos Islands was studied using individual photographic identifications of 1285 animals collected between 1985 and 1989. Population parameters were estimated using a maximum-likelihood mark–recapture estimate permitting emigration from the study area in which identifications are collected and then reimmigration back into it. Because permanent associations among whales violated assumptions of independence, confidence intervals for the estimates were constructed using Monte-Carlo population simulation. The analysis suggested that there is a population of very approximately 200 whales in the study area around the islands at any time. These were part of a larger population numbering between 2600 and 5300 individuals (95% confidence interval). An average of 39–94% (95% confidence interval) of the whales left the study area in any month, with a similar number immigrating.

Aerial behaviour in sperm whales

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 2076-2082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Waters ◽  
Hal Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Water Surface ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Late Afternoon ◽  
Feeding Success ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Small Clusters ◽  
Feeding Grounds

This paper examines the nature and context of breaching (leaping from the water) and lobtailing (thrashing of flukes onto the water surface) in sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using data principally collected off the Galápagos Islands. Animals generally breached on their sides at an angle of 30–50° to the water surface and with about 50–100% of their body showing at peak emergence. Breaches and lobtails were often found to occur in long sessions or "bouts" lasting up to several hours and at times containing over 250 individual activities. The rates of observing these activities did not vary seasonally, but breaching was seen more often in 1985 than in 1987, an El Niño year when the whales appeared to have reduced feeding success. Both breaching and lobtailing rates were highest in the late afternoon, although both activities occurred at all times of day and night. Bouts of breaches and lobtails were longer when several groups of sperm whales were together, and during long bouts, groups or small clusters of whales frequently merged or split up. Except for two breaches, all aerial activity was observed from groups of female and immature whales rather than from mature or maturing males on breeding or feeding grounds.

A link between male sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, of the Azores and Norway

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (8) ◽  
pp. 1751-1756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Steiner ◽  
Luca Lamoni ◽  
Marta Acosta Plata ◽  
Silje-Kristin Jensen ◽  
Erland Lettevall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Ocean Basin ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Photo Identification ◽  
The North ◽  
Male Sperm ◽  
Basin Scale ◽  
The North Atlantic

Little is known about the movements of male sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, in the North Atlantic. Recoveries of traditional harpoons and tags during commercial whaling indicated movements from Nova Scotia to Spain and from the Azores to Iceland and Spain. We compared collections of photo-identification images from different areas using the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sperm Whale Catalogue and the Eurphlukes Phlex/Match programs. The largest collections of identified males (number of individuals, start and end date for data collection shown in parentheses) are for the Azores (297, 1987–2008), Andenes (375, 1988–1996 and 2008), Tromsø (84, 2005–2008). There were six matches between Andenes and Tromsø (~25 nm), with three of these re-sighted in multiple years and three photo-identification matches from the Azores to Norway (~2400 nm). In all cases individuals first photographed in the Azores (in 1993, 1999 and 2003) were matched to images collected later in Tromsø (in 2007 and 2008). In 1997 a photo-identification image from Andenes matched a male stranded on the west coast of Ireland. No matches were made to images in smaller collections from Iceland, Nova Scotia, Greenland, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean. These findings show the value of data collected from whale watching vessels and the importance of collaboration between groups to allow investigation on an ocean basin scale. It is hoped that with the coordinated collection of more images from around the Atlantic, further insight might be gained into the movements of these widely ranging animals.

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