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The pygmy sperm whale
Kogia breviceps
​General description
The pygmy sperm whale has a robust body, with a head that can be square or conical. A characteristic feature of this species is its dorsal fin: located at the back of the middle of the back, it is small, sickle-shaped and rounded at its end. The pectoral fins, long and wide at the base, end in a point. The caudal fin is broad and has triangular lobes. Its skin has a brown to blue-gray back, while the ventral side is paler, with white or pinkish tints.
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Habitat
The pygmy sperm whale is a cosmopolitan species, living in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. Pelagic, it mainly frequents areas far from the coast.
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Diet
This cetacean is teutophagous, feeding mainly on cephalopods, notably deep-sea squid. It can also eat fish and shellfish. Pygmy sperm whales make dives of 12 to 15 minutes and reach depths of at least 300 meters to search for food.
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Behavior
Not very gregarious, pygmy sperm whales are generally observed alone or in groups of 6 to 7 individuals. Calm in nature, their observation is rare and requires favorable conditions (calm sea). Additionally, they spend little time on the surface and avoid ships, swimming slowly or remaining still when visible. When they feel threatened, they release a dark, ink-like liquid from an intestinal sac. This reddish-brown cloud allows them to hide their presence and escape predators.
Family : Kogiidae​​
Height (m)​​
Weight (Kg)
Lifespan (years)
Sexual Maturity
(years)
Gestation
(month)
2.70 – 3.40
320 – 410
22
4 - 5
2.70 – 3.40
320 – 410
22
4 - 6
9 - 11
Global distribution of the pygmy sperm whale, adapted from Plön S, Relton C. 2016. A conservation assessment of Kogia spp. In Child MF, Roxburgh L, Do Linh San E, Raimondo D, Davies-Mostert HT, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa.
Observations in the Lesser Antilles (CCS)
Main threats
Pygmy sperm whales are threatened by entanglements in fishing gear, exposing them to serious and sometimes fatal injuries, and by collisions with ships in areas of heavy maritime traffic. Noise pollution disrupts their communication and behaviors, while ingesting marine debris, such as plastic, can cause fatal intestinal obstructions.
Insufficient Data
IUCN Status :
References
- Sylvestre, Jean-Pierre. 2014. Cetaceans of the World Systematics, Ethology, Biology, Ecology, Status. Practical Guide. Éditions Quae.
- Plön, S., Best, P. B., Duignan, P., Lavery, S. D., Bernard, R. T. F., Van Waerebeek, K., & Baker, C. S. (2023). Population structure of pygmy (Kogia breviceps) and dwarf (Kogia sima) sperm whales in the Southern Hemisphere may reflect foraging ecology and dispersal patterns. Advances in marine biology, 96, 85–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.amb.2023.09.001
- NOAA Fisheries
- International Whaling Commision