[Sca-cooks] Sperm Whales

[Nanna Rognvaldardottir]

Drakey wrote:

>
> >Uh, no. Whales eat cuttlefish.
>
> In particular Sperm Whales, most whales are filter feeders but sperm
> whales hut for squid and other cephalopods.

Only the baleen whales are filter feeders. Toothed whales (not only the
sperm whales, there are about 70 species of toothed whales) eat fish, squid,
birds (for instance penguins) seals, even other whales (how do you think the
killer whale got its name?). Many are very efficient hunters.

>
> ps. Anyone know why they are called sperm whales?
>
Because of the spermaceti organ inside their head. No one is really quite
sure what this organ does, it is thought to be either a buoyancy control
device or a navigation device (I think). Or both. Whatever it does, it is
filled with spermaceti oil, which can be either liquid or solid and was much
sought after to make cosmetics, candles and other stuff. It was mostly
because of this oil that the sperm whales were hunted. Both sperm whales and
killer whales are considered inedible. Except by other whales, of course.

Nanna