Sperm whale research program, The Dominica Sperm Whale Project, has been in operation since 2005. The introduction of plastic waste to the ocean environment by humans is new. Sperm whales have occasionally been found with pieces of plastic in their stomachs. Sperm whale The sperm whale ("Physeter macrocephalus") or cachalot is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus "Kogia". The sperm whale is a pelagic
Cryptid whale female individual on Orkney, saying its dorsal fins was similar to a "mizzen mast", and the whale, based on Sibbald’s account, was described as "P. tursio". However, naturalist Georges Cuvier disregarded Sibbald’s claim as a bad description of the carcass, as well as dismissing the name "P. tursio". Another alleged sighting was off the Annapolis Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada on September 27, 1946, where the creature was apparently trapped there for 2 days. Its length was estimated to be between . The Alula whale, or the Alula Killer, or "Orcinus mörzer-bruynsus", was discussed and illustrated for the first time, but