Sperm Whales Are the Largest Toothed Whales

Whales fall into two broad groups, those with teeth and those without. NOAA Fisheries states that sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales. They are also some of the most widespread animals in the sea. According to NOAA, sperm whales have one of the widest global distributions of any marine mammal species and are found in all deep oceans, from the equator to the edge of the pack ice in the Arctic and Antarctic. Their feeding takes them a long way down. NOAA says sperm whales hunt for food during deep dives that routinely reach depths of 2,000 feet and can last for 45 minutes. After long, deep dives, the whales come to the surface to breathe and recover for several minutes before diving again.