The whales that sleep standing straight up in silent floating groups
These giants sleep standing bolt upright, hanging in the water like a forest of statues.
Which one is REALLY true about the Sperm Whale?
The short version
Sperm whales sleep vertically, nose-up and motionless just below the surface, in silent drifting pods. They rest in bursts of about ten to fifteen minutes and may sleep less than any other mammal — roughly seven percent of the day — and are so deeply out that boats have drifted into them without waking them.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Sperm Whale carries the largest brain of any animal that has ever lived.
- ✓The Sperm Whale sleeps standing straight up, hanging nose up and tail down just below the surface.
- ✓The Sperm Whale rests in whole pods at once, drifting completely motionless like a forest of giant statues.
- ✓The Sperm Whale sleeps in short bursts of roughly ten to fifteen minutes at a time.
- ✓The Sperm Whale may sleep less than any other mammal on Earth, only about seven percent of the day.
The Sperm Whale is about 13× as long as a 7-year-old! 🤯
The full story
Sperm whales sleep standing straight up, in silent floating groups. Meet the sperm whale, which carries the largest brain of any animal that has ever lived. For years nobody actually knew whether they slept at all. Then researchers found entire pods hanging completely motionless, nose up and tail down, drifting just below the surface like a forest of giant statues. They sleep in short bursts of roughly ten to fifteen minutes, and they may be the mammal that sleeps the least of any on Earth, only about seven percent of the day. They go so deeply under that boats have drifted right into them without waking them. And below them hangs a mile of black water. Follow for more weird animal facts.
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“The Sperm Whale carries the largest brain of any animal that has ever lived.”
“The Sperm Whale buries thousands of nuts every autumn to survive the winter.”
“The Sperm Whale sleeps standing straight up, hanging nose up and tail down just below the surface.”