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Difference between revisions of "Sperm whale"

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'''Sperm whales''' are colossal [[aquatic]] [[creature]]s who can be found in any [[ocean]] [[biome]], always appearing individually. They are the [[List of creatures by adult size#end_of_list|largest mundane creatures]] in the game, as massive as an adult [[dragon]] and only surpassed in total size by some [[savage]] [[giant animal|giants]]. In comparison, a [[dwarf]] is 416 times smaller. An infant sperm whale is called a ''sperm whale calf''.
  
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The '''sperm whale''' is the [[List_of_creatures_by_adult_size#end_of_list|largest "normal" creature]] in the game, as in one that you actually see in the real world, and produces A LOT of products when butchered. It can be captured with a [[drowning chamber|fish-catching chamber]] and then air-drowned; out of the water a sperm whale will turn into a corpse relatively quickly. The products of an average sperm whale can feed an entire fortress of dwarves (all 200 of them) for just over a year, making it an enormous boon if you manage to catch one, providing an enormous food surplus and months of work for your [[bone carver]]s. Occasionally sperm whales will [[beaching|beach]] themselves on the shoreline, leaving a corpse ready for butchering by lucky dwarves.
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Being fully-sized creatures rather than [[vermin]], the only way to fish sperm whales is to trap them on land, typically with the use of a [[drowning chamber]], though they may occasionally [[Beaching|beach]] themselves to death by their own volition. The products of an average sperm whale can feed an entire fortress of dwarves (all 200 of them) for just over a year, making it an enormous boon if you manage to catch one, providing an enormous food surplus and months of work for your [[bone carver]]s. If you want to attempt this, be sure to put your butcher's workshop near the beach.
  
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Sperm whales are rarely (1/101 chance) born with [[wikipedia:Moby-Dick|white]] instead of grey skin.
  
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[[File:Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg|thumb|center|400px|[[preference|Admired]] for their ''vengeful nature'' and ''teeth''.]]
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Some dwarves [[Preferences|like]] sperm whales for their ''teeth'' and their ''[[wikipedia:Moby-Dick|vengeful nature]]''.
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[[File:Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg|thumb|center|400px|Admired for its ''teeth''.]]
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The reason why beached whales drown, in defiance of their mammalian nature, is not sufficiently established. It is possible that the stress of the situation causes a spontaneous and fatal swelling of the tissue surrounding the blowhole. Alternatively, they may be committing suicide, as dolphins have been observed to do, to avoid the more horrible death by dehydration, being crushed by their own weight, or drowning in the returning flood. Rumors that the whales, being very proud creatures, hold their breath in protest, and may even be talked out of their stubbornness by a legendary flatterer and animal trainer are baseless lies, however.
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[[File:Sperm Whale Size Comparison.png|thumb|center|alt=Size Comparison|Estimated Sperm Whale Size Comparison.]]
  
 
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Latest revision as of 13:38, 5 June 2023

xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼
Sperm whale
Sperm whale sprite.png
W

Toggle

Urist likes sperm whales for their teeth.
Portrait

No portrait

Biome

Variations

Sperm whale - Sperm whale man - Giant sperm whale

Attributes

· Aquatic · Beaching

Cannot be tamed 
Size
Birth: 500,000 cm3
Mid: 12,500,000 cm3
Max: 25,000,000 cm3

Age
Adult at: 1
Max age: 70-80
Butchering returns

Food items

Meat 660-940
Fat 140-220
Brain 55-85
Heart 25-45
Lungs 110-160
Intestines 170-250
Liver 55-85
Kidneys 55-85
Tripe 55-85
Sweetbread 26-42
Eyes 2
Spleen 26-42

Raw materials

Bones 160-240
Skull 1
Skin Raw hide

Wikipedia article

v50.14 · v0.47.05
This article is about the current version of DF.
Note that some content may still need to be updated.
A giant marine mammal with a toothy jaw.

Sperm whales are colossal aquatic creatures who can be found in any ocean biome, always appearing individually. They are the largest mundane creatures in the game, as massive as an adult dragon and only surpassed in total size by some savage giants. In comparison, a dwarf is 416 times smaller. An infant sperm whale is called a sperm whale calf.

Being fully-sized creatures rather than vermin, the only way to fish sperm whales is to trap them on land, typically with the use of a drowning chamber, though they may occasionally beach themselves to death by their own volition. The products of an average sperm whale can feed an entire fortress of dwarves (all 200 of them) for just over a year, making it an enormous boon if you manage to catch one, providing an enormous food surplus and months of work for your bone carvers. If you want to attempt this, be sure to put your butcher's workshop near the beach.

Sperm whales are rarely (1/101 chance) born with white instead of grey skin.

Some dwarves like sperm whales for their teeth and their vengeful nature.

Admired for its teeth.
D4Dwarf.png This article or section has been rated D for Dwarf. It may include witty humour, not-so-witty humour, bad humour, in-jokes, pop culture references, and references to the Bay12 forums. Don't believe everything you read, and if you miss some of the references, don't worry. It was inevitable.


The reason why beached whales drown, in defiance of their mammalian nature, is not sufficiently established. It is possible that the stress of the situation causes a spontaneous and fatal swelling of the tissue surrounding the blowhole. Alternatively, they may be committing suicide, as dolphins have been observed to do, to avoid the more horrible death by dehydration, being crushed by their own weight, or drowning in the returning flood. Rumors that the whales, being very proud creatures, hold their breath in protest, and may even be talked out of their stubbornness by a legendary flatterer and animal trainer are baseless lies, however.

Size Comparison
Estimated Sperm Whale Size Comparison.
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