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
Whale shark , with a weight of around . In 2011, more than 400 whale sharks gathered off the Yucatan Coast. It was one of the largest gatherings of whale sharks recorded. Aggregations in that area are among the most reliable seasonal gatherings known for whale sharks, with large numbers occurring in most years between May and September. Associated ecotourism has grown rapidly to unsustainable levels. Neither mating nor pupping of whale sharks has been observed. The capture of a female in July 1996 that was pregnant with 300 pups indicated whale sharks are ovoviviparous. The eggs remain in the body and