Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) A.232

The skeleton on the sperm whale is one of the most iconic artifacts at the Manchester Museum, having been part of the museum's Zoology collection since 1898.

This specimen was discovered in 1896, stranded on the coast of Massachusetts in the eastern United States. Fishermen from the town of Provincetown discovered the whale after it had come ashore on the ice.

In 1897 Prof. HE Hoyle, from the Manchester Museum, travelled to the United States to acquire the specimen. The skeleton was purchased for $300 from Messrs Ward of Rochester, New York, USA. The sperm whale skeleton was shipped back in three cases to the Manchester Docks and was assembled in three weeks by local taxidermist H. Brazenor.

Skeletons of whales such as this were featured in many zoological collections formed during the 19th century in England. Many visitors had only heard about these massive creatures from popular stories (most notably Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick') and were amazed by the imposing size of this great mammal.

Sperm whales are characterised by their elongated square shaped head (the head of a male sperm whale can contribute to half the body length), which allows the whale to dive to depths of 500 metres. Sperm whales eat more than a tonne of food per day, and this excellent diving ability allows them to access deep areas of the ocean without competition from other whales.

Male sperm whales are approximately 18 metres long, and can weigh over 44 tonnes. Female sperm whales are considerably smaller at 11 metres and 11 tonnes.