Pygmy sperm whale at seaworld

Support our journalism Send investigative tips Report a problem with this story. Subscription Services. He can be reached at or jeff. Experts knew last month that the survival rate for beached pygmy whales is historically low, but that did not lessen the blow of losing the animal. Pygmy sperm whales are so named because of their similar appearance to the larger mammals. City plans to open building to the public on Monday, less than three weeks after latest finding. Former Lt.

Like other toothed whales , the pygmy sperm whale has a " melon ", a body of fat and wax in the head that it uses to focus and modulate the sounds it makes. The young marine mammal beached itself on the afternoon of July They said it was remarkable that she stayed alive for as long as she did. The smaller species grow up to 14 feet in length and known to be relatively slow swimmers and tend to avoid ships. As a young calf, this animal had many challenges to overcome, and ultimately succumbed despite the best efforts by SeaWorld. Pygmy sperm whales have from 50 to 55 vertebrae , and from 12 to 14 ribs on either side, although the latter are not necessarily symmetrical, and the hindmost ribs do not connect with the vertebral column. A narrow tube runs from the second to the third, or pyloric, stomach, which is also glandular, and connects, via a sphincter , to the duodenum.

Retrieved 22 September Koontz said the knowledge gained from this rescue and rehabilitative care of the calf "has the potential to help advance critical animal care and ultimately have application in marine and terrestrial species in the wild. Follow Us Facebook Twitter Instagram. Marine Mammal Science.