Sperm Whales in the Sea of Cortez

During a recent excursion west of Isla San Pedro Nolasco, we encountered several pods of sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, resting at the surface between dives. Being a prime breeding ground for Humbolt "jumbo" squid, Dosidicus gigas,the Sea of Cortez is also a top site for finding their toothy predators, sperm whales. A recent study of predator-prey relationships between sperm whales and jumbo squid, researchers found the whales were making regular dives to depths of 600-1300 feet during the day, and 600 feet during the night. We were able to get photos of over 15 of these whales in 4 pods during a one-hour period