Sperm Whales Never Forget A Face

Whales are the biggest animals living in the ocean, and include the largest creatures ever to have lived. Within this group of giant animals, sperm whales hold a unique record: they are the largest hunting animal with teeth. Sperm whales are powerful predators. They plunge into the freezing blackness of the deep ocean, hunting for squid - including the giant squid. But they also have rich and varied social lives. They live in family groups and support each other. The latest research suggests that sperm whales' extended families are just as important to them as our own. The whales' social lives are crucial to their success. "Female sperm whales are likely able to recognize individuals and families, accumulate social knowledge, and recall their interaction histories over very long periods of separation," says Dr Shane Gero at Aarhus University in Denmark. His team's research, published in the journal Animal Behaviour, shows that sperm whales have specific preferences for others, in the same way we might have a favourite cousin or aunt. These preferences remain consistent for years, suggesting that the whales remember their distant friends and relatives despite spending most of their lives apart.