A Sperm Whale Mother and Calf
In The Sperm Whale Mother and Calf, narrator Sir David Attenborough observes a sperm whale and her calf, resting, communicating, and feeding. The calf won’t be able to dive deep enough to hunt for squid for the first six years of life, but the mother dives and hunts and returns with a store of milk for the waiting calf. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Blue Planet II, a natural history series that explores the world's oceans, the animals that live in them, and the threats they face, using modern filming techniques and equipment to capture previously unseen areas of the ocean.
Dive into an enchanting marine odyssey once more as this striking cinematic journey returns to explore our planet's oceans with renewed magic and wonder. Learn more.
Lesson Express
Q: How does the calf communicate with its mother when it is hungry?
A: The calf uses clicks and other sounds to communicate with its mother and signal that it is hungry.
Q: How do sperm whales find their prey?
A: Sperm whales use echolocation. They produce clicking sounds and listen for echoes that bounce back from objects and animals, helping them locate prey in the ocean's dark depths.
Q: Why is the milk considered the richest of any mammal?
A: Sperm whale milk is extremely rich in fat and nutrients, which helps the calf grow quickly and develop the energy it needs for life in the ocean.