Hunt History

Sperm Whales were central to the rise of the global whaling industry from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Basque, Dutch, English, and especially American whalers (such as those from New England) pursued them across the world’s oceans. The highly prized spermaceti oil, as well as whale oil and ambergris, made them a cornerstone of maritime economies. Whalers developed long voyages and advanced techniques to chase these whales, and they often faced immense danger, as Sperm Whales were capable of damaging or sinking ships (famously inspiring Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick). Industrial whaling in the 20th century reduced populations drastically, though numbers have been slowly recovering since international bans.