Rare Pygmy Sperm Whale Washed Ashore on Galveston Coast

Wow! Isn't that amazing?... It was dead. It was a dead whale.

The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network (TMMSN) has stressed in the past about what to do when keeping an eye out for stranded bottlenose dolphins--among other creatures--along the Texas coast, but rarely have they had cases such as this little guy popping up.

TMMSN took to Facebook after the body of the tiny whale was first spotted.

In the post, they mention that the body of the pygmy sperm whale was found on Galveston Island and that they are the second most common marine mammal to wash ashore along the Texas coast.

FUN FACT: Pygmy sperm whales can produce ink when threatened, just like squid.

Apparently, TMMSN has seen over 40 pygmy sperm whales along the coast since 1980. The imminent threats facing this species are mostly man-made: boat strikes, entanglement, ocean noise and plastic trash in the water.

Tiny Facts of the Pygmy Sperm Whale

NOAA Fisheries provides in-depth facts and information on the pygmy sperm whale:

• They can live up to 23 years
• They do not have teeth on their upper jaw, but they have 10 to 16 pairs on their bottom jaw
• They only come to the water's surface during favorable weather
• Although they have a blowhole, they don't blow at the surface like their larger relatives
• They get their name from the substance inside of their heads that resemble wax called spermaceti
• Pregnancy lasts about 9 to 11 months, and females can give birth to calves multiple years in a row