Sleeping sperm whales use gas bubbles to stay suspended underwater
Researchers have discovered that sperm whales sleep in a vertical position just below the ocean surface to conserve energy and breathe easily. They use gas bubbles to regulate their buoyancy, a unique mechanism among marine mammals.
Why it matters
This finding provides significant new insights into the behavior and physiology of one of the world's largest and most intelligent marine species.
When it comes to marine life, there are facts beyond human imagination. In the most recent findings, scientists discovered a lesser-known fact about sperm whales and their resting mechanism. According to them, sperm whales have a fantastic way of resting far beneath the ocean waves. Researchers from the University of St Andrews and Université de Neuchâtel provided a rare insight into the secretive lives of one of the ocean’s largest and most intelligent marine animals. Scroll down to read the details.What does the research sayThe research found that unlike most marine mammals, sperm whales sleep in a strange upright position, bobbing almost motionless just below the sea surface.
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