Photographer Captures A Rare Sight - Sleeping Sperm Whales

When we think about the things whales do, splashing around, eating vast quantities of krill, and singing intricate, beautiful songs probably comes to mind.

When we think about the things whales do, splashing around, eating vast quantities of krill, and singing intricate, beautiful songs probably comes to mind. But what about some of their more mundane activities like sleeping? And how do whales sleep underwater anyway?

Franco Banfi, an incredibly talented underwater photographer, struck proverbial sea gold when he came upon a pack of sperm whales in the Caribbean sea. He followed them for a while, and suddenly, the entire group stopped moving and oriented themselves vertically in the water. They had abruptly decided it was time for a nap.

Sperm whales sleep about 7% of their lives, much less than humans. These sleeps typically last between 5 minutes and a half hour.

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