Diet of free-ranging and stranded sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from the Gulf of Mexico.

Abstract

This report describes a study that was undertaken to examine the food habits of free-ranging and stranded sperm whales through the analyses of fecal material (collected at the surface where whales were present) and stomach contents, respectively, in the Gulf of Mexico. The specimens examined in this study originated from two different sources: stomach contents were obtained from stranded animals, collected by participants of the Southeastern U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Network; floating fecal material were collected from free-ranging animals during ship surveys in the period 2000-2001.