Nature · Mature male reference · dorsal plan view
How long is a sperm whale?
NOAA describes a physically mature male sperm whale at approximately 52 feet long, about 15.85 meters. This dorsal view shows the straight body axis and the whale’s horizontal tail flukes.
≈ 15.8496 m
Sourced measurement- Measurement
- NOAA-described mature male length · approximately 52 feet
- Subject or version
- Mature male reference · dorsal plan view
- Using this value
- A starting value for the illustration, not a universal or confirmed height.
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A little more perspective
NOAA’s species account associates physical maturity in males with an approximate length of 52 feet. Multiplying by 0.3048 gives 15.8496 meters, but the original reference remains rounded. It is neither a maximum record nor a precise measurement of a named whale.
This view looks down onto the back, making the horizontal tail flukes visible in their natural plane. The longitudinal endpoint is the central tail notch, slightly inside the outer swept fluke tips. The drawing’s body width and fluke span are interpretive, and do not represent the animal’s vertical height.
Quick facts
NOAA describes a physically mature male sperm whale at approximately 52 feet long, about 15.85 meters. This dorsal view shows the straight body axis and the whale’s horizontal tail flukes.
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Sources and measurement notes
Measure along the body to the central tail notch; fluke spread is a separate width.
Source review recorded . Maintained by Ishan Karunaratne. Suggest a correction with a source and the exact measurement being compared.