Comparing a Sperm Whale and an Orca
What Are Key Differences Between a Sperm Whale and an Orca?
The greatest differences between a sperm whale and an orca are their size and body shape. Sperm whales are dark gray whales with rounded heads and long bodies featuring several humps, weighing up to 45 tons and growing 59 ft long, and an orca is a large black and white member of the dolphin family with a very large dorsal fin that weighs up to 6.6 tons and grows about 32ft long. These animals are both very large, but the sperm whale is much bigger. Of course, size isn’t everything in a fight in the animal kingdom. We have to consider other factors when deciding which animal is most likely to win a fight against the other.
What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Sperm Whale and an Orca?
We can examine different elements of sperm whales and orcas all day long, but not all that information is pertinent to this fight. Instead, we’re going to focus on five important factors such as size and speed that make a difference in how these animals would fight one another. Take a closer look at the key factors in the sperm whale vs orca fight!
Sperm Whale vs Orca: Size
Sperm whales are much larger than orcas. The average sperm whale can measure anywhere between 49 and 59 feet long and weighs nearly 45 tons, and the largest sperm whale was 57 tons and over 70 feet long! Orcas are small in comparison, weighing about 6.6 tons and measuring 23ft-32ft in length. Sperm whales have a massive size advantage.
Sperm Whale vs Orca: Speed and Movement
Orcas are faster than sperm whales, and they have better endurance to boot. An orca can move up to 30 mph in the water, maintaining a substantial portion of that speed for a while. Sperm whales move at about 4 mph on average, but they can burst forth at about 23 mph. Orcas have a speed advantage over sperm whales.
Sperm Whale vs Orca: Defenses
Few creatures in the world have physical defenses like the sperm whale. Female and young sperm whales tend to live in groups making it hard to approach and attack them. Other than that, they’re simply too big for most creatures to try to kill. They can produce deafening clicking noises that measure over 200 decibels, more than enough to frighten off curious predators. Orcas also count on their size and pods to stay safe. However, their speed and endurance allow them to move away from potential danger, too. The sperm whale has superior defenses compared to an orca.
Sperm Whale vs Orca: Offensive Capabilities
At first glance, it may seem that the sperm whale is loaded for bear when it comes to offensive powers. It has up to 60 teeth that measures 8 inches long and weigh 2lbs. Also, sperm whales have massive tails that can kill other sea animals with a single hit. They also have their famous clicks that can disorient or stun smaller prey. Yet, they have some weaknesses in that they only have teeth on the bottom jaw most of the time and that they are so huge that landing a tail thwack might be difficult against a small, moving target. The orca is far more agile and is also prepared to deal damage to enemies. It has a massive biting power of 19,000 PSI, over 40 teeth that measure up to 4 inches long and help it tear prey apart. It can also use its tail to corral prey. Sperms whales have more offensive potential, but orcas use their offensive weapons more effectively.
Sperm Whale vs Orca: Predatory Behavior
Orcas are cursorial predators that take their time herding and eating their prey. They can wear down prey with their speed and endurance and use their bodies to separate weaker animals from their pods. Sperm whales are opportunistic predators that sometimes hunt together, but they often dive deep into the water to hunt their favorite prey, squid. Orcas are better predators, but a lot of their potency stems from their membership in a pod.
Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Sperm Whale and an Orca?
A lone sperm whale would kill an orca in a one-on-one fight. Even when both creatures travel in pods, the orcas typically choose to separate the smaller whales from the group and kill that rather than face the terrible fury of a bull whale. Against a bull sperm whale, an orca would have a nearly impossible task. The only pathway to victory for them would be to relentlessly bite and dodge the counterattacks from the sperm whale. Moreover, it would need to force the whale to the surface to prevent losing sight of it since the orca can’t stay submerged as long as the sperm whale. The sperm whale would have a lot of trouble killing an orca, too. Their teeth and jaws aren’t great for biting and tearing animals to shreds. Tail strikes may be too ineffective or take a great number of hits to put the orca down for good. Nevertheless, the sperm whale has a higher chance of scoring a killing blow than the orca. The fight would probably end with the orca fleeing once it realizes that it’s facing a predator it can’t hope to beat.
