Rare Sight of Whales Sleeping Upright in Japanese Waters

Jul 10, 2025 | News On Japan

KAGOSHIMA, Jul 10, 2025 (News On Japan) - A pod of sperm whales was observed sleeping in an upright position near Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, with their heads pointing toward the surface in what appeared to be vertical rest. The sighting was made on June 23rd by Amami Marine Life Research Group chairman Katsuki Okoshi, who captured the rare moment about 15 kilometers west of the island.

"This was the largest group I've ever seen, and it was my first time witnessing them sleeping in this position. It was deeply moving," Okoshi recalled.

According to Okoshi, about 20 whales were spotted roughly 3 meters below the surface, with four or five at the center appearing to be sleeping vertically. The largest among them measured up to 14 meters in length. The group is believed to have formed when males joined local mother-calf pairs that inhabit the waters around Amami.

Sperm whales are known to sleep for less than two hours per day, making such encounters extremely rare.

Source: Kyodo

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