Researchers at the University of St Andrews have recorded sperm whales butting heads against each other, capturing the behavior on video and providing the first formal description of it. The discovery confirms the stories of 19th-century sailors who reported that whales used their heads to ram and push objects, sometimes sinking ships. These dramatic encounters later inspired Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick.
The researchers used drone technology to record the sperm whale’s head-on collision while also observing the social behavior of its surroundings. This footage was collected during fieldwork in the Azores and Balearic Islands from 2020 to 2022 and provides a rare look at how these animals behave near the ocean surface.
Young whales lead the action
The study, published today (March 23) in the journal Marine Mammal Science, found that it was subadult whales that performed headbutts, rather than large adult male whales as scientists had previously expected. This unexpected result raises new questions about why the behavior occurs and how it affects group relations and social structure.
“It was really exciting to observe this behavior, because we knew it had been hypothesized for such a long time, but it had not yet been documented and systematically explained,” said lead author Dr. Alec Barlem, who conducted the study at the University of St Andrews with collaborators from the University of the Azores and the Tursiops Association (an NGO based in the Balearic Islands).
Why do sperm whales butt their heads?
Scientists say more data is needed to understand the purpose of this behavior. As drones become more widely used, researchers hope to capture more examples of headbutts and other near-surface activity that have previously received little attention.
Some scientists have suggested that this behavior may result from physical conflict between the whales, possibly related to competition between males. Some argue that repeatedly using the head as a weapon can be dangerous because it can damage structures essential to echolocation and the production of sounds used for communication.
Historical account of ship collisions
Reports of sperm whales using their heads to attack objects date back to open whaling in the 19th century. One of the most famous incidents concerns the 27-meter sailing ship Essex, which sank near the Galapagos Islands in 1820 after being hit twice by a large sperm whale. This event later became the source of inspiration for “Moby Dick.”
Essex’s first mate Owen Chase quoted a contemporary report about the power of the whale’s headbutt.
“We turned around and saw him about 100 rods in front of us, coming down at about 24 knots, twice the normal speed. He looked ten times more angry and vengeful. The waves flew around him in all directions, his tail lashing incessantly. His head was about half out of the water, and then he pounced on us and crashed into the ship again.”
Other accounts from the same period describe similar sinkings, including those of the Ann Alexander and Kathleen.
Drones will change whale research
Dr. Barslem, who is currently based at the University of Hawaii, emphasized the role of new technology in advancing marine science, saying, “This unique bird’s-eye view for observing and documenting behavior near the surface is just one of the ways drone technology is transforming wildlife biology research. It’s exciting to think about what may soon become clear whether head-butting is the case, and how further observations of head-butting might help clarify the role played by that behavior.”If there are others out there like me, I’d love to hear their thoughts on the footage.” ”
