kurt s müller
whales in the Azores
The Azores were discovered by the Portuguese around 1460.
The local people of the archipelago are passionate about whale and dolphin watching. At least 27 cetacean species (from about 75 in total) have been seen there.
Cetaceans are whales, dolphins and porpoises.They can either be resident (year-round), seasonal (for a certain period) or migratory (visiting for short periods of time on their way North or South). Or they might be on their way to Labrador for the summer, which some Sei whales we spotted were doing. Or
Between April and June, fin, blue and sei whales migrate through the Azores. Occasionally minke whales and humpback whales can also be spotted. For dolphins (common, bottlenose and Risso's) summer is the best time of year. Pods can be quite large large and with calves .
Three tectonic plates (Eurasian, North American and African) converge at the archipelago and are literally and slowly pulling it apart. Regular earthquakes occur, the last one being in 1957 on the island of Faial.
This eruption lead to 2000 locals emigrating, mostly to America. They grow bananas, tea and even tobacco on these colourful islands. A vineyard meets the local demand for wine.
These islands are steep sided. 80 m from the shore the seafloor drops away to 1600 m and then to 5000m. This is perfect cetacean country.
To spot the whales today, the local whale watching companies employ 4 whale spotters. The idea no doubt goes back to the days when the whale hunters had used cliff-top towers or vigias, for the same purpose. Once he spotted a whale, the watcher would light a rocket with his cigarette. This would summon the hunters. Wind and waves can make it difficult to spot your prey.
In the summer, you're most likely to see resident sperm whales: the world's largest predators. Their brains are the biggest! More than 5 times the weight of a human brain. Resident dolphins are also regularly seen.
2019 has been a poor year for migrating whales. The numbers and variety were way below those normally registered. For my first visit the only migrating whales we spotted was a small group of Sei whales. Still the resident whales are plentiful and include bottlenose, spotted, striped, common and Risso's dolphins.
We saw a good number of sperm whales. The drawing above and the objects left and below are from the Whale Museum in Horta. Left: some of the teeths of a young Sperm Whale. These grow much larger as the whale matures.
The Sperm Whale is the largest toothed whale, as well as the largest toothed predator. Many migrate for feeding and breeding. Females and young males live together in groups, while the mature males (bulls) live solitary lives outside of the mating season. The females protect and nurse the young ones. They give birth every four to twenty years, and care for the calves for more than a decade. A mature sperm whale has few natural predators. However, calves and weakened adults are sometimes killed by pods of killer whales.
Mature males average 16 metres (52 ft) in length. some may reach 20.5 metres (67 ft). The head itself takes up to one-third of the whale's length. It is the second deepest diving mammal (2250 m)). Only the Cuvier’s beaked whale goes deeper. The sperm whale uses echolocation and vocalisation of up to 230 decibels. To put that into perspective, jet engine noise ranges from 120 to 140 decibels. Both normal conversation and playing a piano produce 60- to 70 decibel sounds, whereas amplified music at a concert can exceed 120 decibels.
Sperm whales can live for more than 60 years.
The sperm oil from which the whale derives its name, was a prime target of the whaling industry (like the Right Whale), and was sought after for use in oil lamps, lubricants, and candles. A solid waxy waste product sometimes found in its digestive system, is still highly valued as a fixative in perfumes. Sperm whaling was a major industry in the 19th century. The species is protected and is listed as vulnerable. However, they are relatively abundant from the poles to the equator and are found in all the oceans.
The S-shaped blowhole is located very close to the front of the head and on its left side. This gives rise to a distinctive forward-angled spray. Their flukes (tail lobes) are triangular and very thick. Proportionally, they are larger than that of any other cetacean, and are very flexible.
The sperm whale's brain is the largest in the world, five times heavier than a human's. It weighs about 7.8 kilograms (17 lb).
The sperm whale respiratory system has adapted to cope with drastic pressure changes when diving. The flexible ribcage allows the lung to collapse, reducing nitrogen intake, and metabolism conserve oxygen. Between dives, the sperm whale surfaces to breathe for about eight minutes before diving again. Sperm whales spout (breathe) 3–5 times per minute at rest, increasing to 6–7 times per minute after a dive. The blow is a noisy, single stream that rises up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) or more above the surface and points forward and left at a 45° angle. Females and juveniles blow every 12.5 seconds before dives, while large males blow every 17.5 seconds before dives.
The sperm whale has the longest intestinal system in the world, exceeding 300 m in larger specimens. It also has a four-chambered stomach. The first secretes no gastric juices and has very thick muscular walls to crush the food (since whales cannot chew) and resist the claw and sucker attacks of swallowed squid. The second chamber is larger and is where digestion takes place. They feed mostly on giant squid. Undigested squid beaks accumulate in the second chamber – as many as 18,000 have been found in some dissected specimens. Most squid beaks are vomited by the whale.
When the whale is submerged, it can close the blowhole, and air that passes through the phonic lips can circulate back to the lungs. Like other toothed whales, the sperm whale can retract its eyes.
For some time researchers have been aware that pods of sperm whales may sleep for short periods (perhaps with both sides of the brain), assuming a vertical position with their heads just below or at the surface. It appears that some whales may fall into a deep sleep for about 7 percent of the time, most often between 6 p.m. and midnight.
Sperm whales usually dive between 300 to 800 metres (980 to 2,620 ft), and sometimes 1 to 2 kilometres (3,300 to 6,600 ft), in search of food. Such dives can last more than an hour. A sperm whale killed 160 km (100 mi) South of Durban, South Africa after a 1-hour, 50-minute dive was found with two dogfish usually found at the sea floor, in its belly.
Six to nine individuals usually form a group, but some have more than twenty individuals. The most common natural predator of sperm whales is the orca. Pilot and False Killer Whales may harrass them. Orcas prey on groups of females with young, usually making an effort to extract and kill a calf.
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all rights to all photos, this website etc reserved Kurt S Müller
Email: kurt-saas-fee@gmx.com
Equipment used: Nikon 810 with Nikon accessories