Where do sperm whales live?

Quick Answer

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) live in deep, open oceans worldwide. They are found in every major ocean basin — the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and parts of the Arctic and Southern Oceans — making them one of the most widely distributed marine mammals on Earth. They strongly prefer deep offshore waters, typically more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) deep, because they rely on deep-diving to hunt squid. Mature males travel to cold, high-latitude waters near the poles, while females and young remain in warmer tropical and subtropical seas. Learn more about the Sperm Whale and its remarkable adaptations to life in the deep ocean.

What You Need to Know

A Truly Global Range

Sperm whales are among the most cosmopolitan of all whale species. Their range spans roughly 60°N to 60°S latitude, covering vast stretches of open ocean. Unlike some species such as the Gray Whale, which sticks to coastal waters along continental shelves, sperm whales are a pelagic species — they spend most of their lives far from shore over deep ocean basins, submarine canyons, and continental slope edges.

They can be found in well-known hotspots around the world, including:

• The Azores (central North Atlantic) — one of the best-studied sperm whale populations
• The Gulf of Mexico — home to a small, resident population
• The Mediterranean Sea — particularly in the deep waters west of Greece and around the Strait of Messina
• The Eastern Caribbean — especially off Dominica, where family groups are reliably sighted
• The Galápagos Islands and the wider Eastern Tropical Pacific
• The Indian Ocean — including waters around Sri Lanka and the Seychelles
• The Kaikōura Canyon off New Zealand — a famous feeding ground for males

Why Deep Water Matters

The key to understanding whale habitat for sperm whales is depth. These animals are the largest toothed predators on Earth, reaching up to 20 meters (66 feet) in length and weighing as much as 50,000 kilograms (55 tons). Their primary prey — giant and colossal squid — live at extreme depths in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the ocean. To reach them, sperm whales routinely dive to 1,000–2,000 meters (3,280–6,560 feet) and can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes. You can explore more about their remarkable diving abilities in our article on how long can whales hold their breath.

This dependence on deep-water prey means sperm whales are rarely found in shallow coastal seas. They gravitate toward areas where the ocean floor drops off steeply — continental margins, mid-ocean ridges, and seamounts — because upwelling currents in these zones concentrate the nutrients that support squid populations. To learn more about what fuels these deep dives, see what do sperm whales eat.

Males vs. Females: A Split in Geography

One of the most distinctive aspects of sperm whale distribution is the stark geographic separation between the sexes. This is more pronounced in sperm whales than in almost any other cetacean.

Females and calves form stable social groups of 10–20 individuals and spend their entire lives in warm tropical and subtropical waters, generally between 40°N and 40°S. These waters provide a thermoregulatory advantage for calves, which lack the massive body size and thick blubber needed to survive in cold seas. This social and reproductive behavior is central to how female sperm whales organize their lives.

Mature males, by contrast, leave these family groups as adolescents and gradually migrate toward higher latitudes as they grow. The largest, oldest bulls push farthest — into the frigid, productive waters off Iceland, Norway, Alaska, and even to the edges of Antarctic pack ice. These cold, nutrient-rich seas offer abundant feeding opportunities with less competition. Males return to tropical waters only periodically to breed, visiting female groups for short spans before heading back to their high-latitude feeding grounds.

Population and Conservation Context

Sperm whales were devastated by commercial whaling, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries and again in the mid-20th century. Whalers hunted them for the spermaceti oil in their enormous heads and for ambergris, a waxy substance produced in their digestive systems. The global population was reduced from an estimated 1.1 million before industrial whaling to roughly 300,000–450,000 today.

The species is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is protected under international law, including the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the International Whaling Commission’s moratorium on commercial whaling. While populations are slowly recovering, sperm whales now face modern threats across their range, including ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, ocean noise pollution that interferes with their echolocation, and chemical contaminants that accumulate in deep-ocean food webs. For broader context on threats facing large whales, visit our conservation page.

Their wide distribution makes comprehensive conservation challenging. A sperm whale born in the Caribbean may eventually range across thousands of kilometers of international waters, crossing multiple national jurisdictions. Effective protection requires cooperation between countries and international bodies — a task that organizations like the IWC and regional fisheries management bodies continue to work toward.

Key Takeaways

• Global distribution: Sperm whales live in all the world’s major oceans, from the tropics to near-polar waters, making them one of the most widespread whale species alongside the humpback whale and killer whale.
• Deep-water specialists: They strongly prefer offshore waters deeper than 1,000 meters, where they dive to extraordinary depths to hunt squid and other deep-sea prey.
• Sex-based separation: Females and calves stay in warm tropical and subtropical waters year-round. Males migrate to cold, high-latitude seas to feed and only return south to breed.
• Key hotspots: Important habitats include the Azores, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean (Dominica), the Mediterranean, the Galápagos, waters off Sri Lanka, and Kaikōura Canyon in New Zealand.
• Conservation status: Listed as Vulnerable, with an estimated global population of 300,000–450,000. They face ongoing threats from ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement, and ocean noise pollution.
• Recovery in progress: Protected internationally since the 1986 whaling moratorium, sperm whale populations are gradually rebuilding, but full recovery will likely take decades. Learn more about why sperm whales are called sperm whales and the history behind their name.