Sperm Whale
What is it:
The sperm whale is the largest of the toothed whales, males growing to lengths of 18 m and females to 13 m. Its long, dark brown or grey back has no fin but there is a triangular, dorsal hump two-thirds along the body, followed by a spinal ridge and corrugations on the skin that give animals a shrivelled appearance.
It has a very large, square head (up to one-third of the total length in the male) and an underslung lower jaw. The distinctive bushy blow is directed forwards and to the left, 1.5-5 m high. When diving deeply, the broad, triangular and deeply notched tail flukes are thrown up into the air.
Links to Scotland's Marine Atlas:
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