Sperm whales mating in the Strait of Gibraltar!
by firmm Team
Yesterday on our trips between 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm we had the chance to see two sperm whales mating in the Strait of Gibraltar, a spectacle which lasted over 3 hours! Such an event had never been observed here before. It was always thought that sperm whales came here into the Strait of Gibraltar only to feed. Now we are curious, if there might be offspring showing up in the Strait next year. With a gestation period of about 14 - 17 months, it is within the realms of possibility for the next year to see a sperm whale calf. One of the two sperm whales is almost an old acquaintance whom we saw quite often this season. His name is Lunares, he can easily be distinguished from the others at his white spots close to his dorsal fin. Unfortunately we could not find out which part he/she played in that mating scene.
Photo above: Lunares diving down. The white spots behind the dorsal fin are not accidental light reflections (Photo: KH)
-casi-