Researchers have documented sperm whales colliding head-on with their heads for the first time using drone footage from the Azores and Balearic islands. The behavior, observed among sub-adult whales, supports longstanding sailor accounts of aggressive whale encounters. The findings were published on March 23 in Marine Mammal Science.
A team led by Dr. Alec Burslem from the University of St Andrews captured rare footage of sperm whales engaging in headbutting during fieldwork between 2020 and 2022. The drones provided an overhead view of the collisions near the ocean surface, revealing that younger sub-adult whales, rather than large adult males, were responsible for the clashes. Collaborators included researchers from the University of the Azores and Asociación Tursiops in the Balearic islands. The study, published March 23 in Marine Mammal Science, formally describes the behavior for the first time. Dr. Burslem, now at the University of Hawaii, described the discovery: 'It was really exciting to observe this behavior, which we knew had been hypothesized for such a long time, but not yet documented and described systematically.' The footage lends credence to 19th-century whaling reports, including the sinking of the whaleship Essex in 1820 near the Galapagos islands. First mate Owen Chase recounted the attack: 'I turned around and saw him about one hundred rods [approx. 500 m] directly ahead of us, coming down with twice his ordinary speed of around 24 knots... His head about half out of the water, and in that way he came upon us, and again struck the ship.' Similar incidents involved ships like Ann Alexander and Kathleen. Scientists note that the purpose of headbutting remains unclear—possibly play, practice, or competition—but caution it risks damaging sound-producing structures vital for echolocation. Dr. Burslem highlighted drone technology's potential: 'This unique overhead perspective... is just one of the ways drone technology is transforming the study of wildlife biology.' The team seeks additional footage from the public to further study the behavior.
