French photographer and filmmaker, Stephane Granzotto, made a fascinating discovery while observing sperm whales in the Mediterranean Sea for his upcoming photo book on marine creatures. He stumbled upon their unique sleeping pattern, which had remained largely unknown until a study in 2008.
Contrary to popular belief, these majestic creatures sleep in a vertical position deep beneath the ocean’s surface, giving the impression that they are standing upright. Granzotto became the first person to witness and capture this phenomenon through his lens, shedding light on an intriguing aspect of sperm whale behavior.
More info & Photo credit: Stephane Granzotto/National Geographic
According to National Geographic, these whales engage in deep slumber approximately 45 feet below the sea level, taking long breaths in between their sleep cycles. They typically sleep in pods consisting of 5 to 6 whales, with each sleep session lasting about two hours.
Sadly, a distressing incident occurred during a study in Chile when a ship inadvertently collided with a group of sleeping whales while its engine was turned off. This unfortunate event brought attention to the vulnerability of these peaceful creatures during their resting periods.
