When the carcass of a whale washed up on the shores of San Onofre State Beach, Tod Shanklin, a lifeguard, said that 'head, and it kind of reminded [me] of a sperm whale only different.' Unsure of what he encountered, he sent pictures to his friend. Jim Serpa, who used to supervise the beach.
Serpa knew exactly what the unusual 9ft creature was: the rare pygmy sperm whale. Reference photos confirmed the specific traits of a big, bulbous head, 'the tiny dorsal fin way back on its back and the dagger teeth.' The whale also had a slightly off-center blowhole, an oddity not found in other whale species, as well as what seemed to be a bullet wound.
Named after a waxy substance found in their 'big bulbous head,' spermaceti, the species are found in temperate and tropical seas around the world. Their spermaceti is an oil sac which aids the animal in producing sound. Pygmy sperm whales can also produce a dark liquid, similar to squid ink, which helps the creature flee from predators.
Alongside their close relative, the dwarf sperm whale, the main threat the rare whales face is entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Dragging attached gear for long distances causes them to become fatigued, may hinder feeding ability, or even cause severe injury. These damages can lead to less reproductivity and death.
Rare Sighting
How exactly the pygmy sperm whale arrived in California is still unknown. In the United States, they normally live near Hawaiian coasts, the North Atlantic, the Pacific Southwest, and the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Scientists believe that since the Pacific is warm this time of year, maybe the whale swam in a warm patch, or, as Serpa said, 'maybe they are here more than we know, and we don't see them because they shy away from us.'
The little information that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have on the species confirm that the whales only visit the surface when the sea and weather are tranquil, so they are rarely seen. In addition, their flat head and back also contribute to their low profile.
Unknown Cause of Death
Noise pollution underwater also disturbs the whales' normal behavior since they communicate through sound. When humans increase ocean noise, their 'communication space decreases; the whales cannot hear each other, or discern other signals in their environment as they used to in an undisturbed ocean.'
Other activities that noise pollution can interrupt are migrating, socializing, and feeding. When marine animals are forced to change the amplitude or frequency of their calls, foraging behavior can decrease, stress hormones increase, or they become displaced from their preferred habitat.
For Shanklin's discovery, neither of these threats seem to be what caused the death of the pygmy sperm whale. Serpa shared that he noticed a bullet hole, not knowing if it was pre- or post-mortem.
The NOAA, who have protective laws against endangered whales and other species, were informed of the discovery. Officials from the federal agency are planning to examine the pygmy sperm whale this week.
