Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758 - Sperm Whale

Subspecies in India

Also called as Spermacet Whale, Pot Whale, or Cachelot.

This species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).


Photo Gallery and Species Biology


Conservation Status:

This species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).


According to IUCN Red List assessment, population of this species is decreasing globally. There are no estimates of its population available. However, there is up to 70% decrease in the global population in last few decades. The major threats to its survival come from marine pollution, trapping, hunting, oceanic transport.   
StateJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecNo date
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Daman & Diu
Delhi
Goa
Gujarat
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
Jharkhand
Karnataka
Kerala
Lakshadweep
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
Odisha
Paschimbanga
Pondicherry
Punjab
Rajasthan
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
West Bengal
Total

Page citation

Anonymous 2024. Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758 – Sperm Whale. In Bayani, A., R. Chakravarty, and K. Kunte (Editors) (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. 1.13. Published by the Indian Foundation for Butterflies. URL: https://www.mammalsofindia.org/physeter-macrocephalus, accessed 2024/05/13.