For years, scientists have suspected that sperm whales are likely to accumulate fat-soluble pollutants because the whales are massive — weighing up to 50 tons — and can live up to 70 years.

多年以来科学家一直怀疑抹香鲸体内非常可能存储可溶性污染物，因为抹香鲸又大又重——体重可达50吨——能活70年。

The irony is that sperm whales can thank oil for their species「s survival.

具有讽刺意味的是，抹香鲸应该感谢为它们物种生存的石油。

But previous sightings and sound recordings closer to the surface suggested that the sperm whales are relatively few and far between.

但是之前位于水面附近的目击和录音都说明抹香鲸在那儿相对稀少。

Pacific Ocean sperm whales carry evidence of exposure to several man-made pollutants.

生活在太平洋的抹香鲸体内携带人造污染物质。

Many stories of deadly battles between these two massive animals exist, and sperm whales have even been seen with suction cup-shaped wounds and remnants of giant squid in their stomachs.

有许多关于这两种巨型动物之间一决胜负的战斗的故事，在抹香鲸身上已见过吸盘状的伤口，以及胃中也发现过有巨型章鱼的残余。

The scientists conducted photo surveys and performed skin biopsies on blue, fin and sperm whales from the Gulf of California.

科学家对加利福尼亚海湾的蓝鲸、长须鲸和抹香鲸的影像调查及皮肤活检进行分析。

The largest toothed whales on Earth, sperm whales are listed as vulnerable-or facing a high risk of extinction in the wild-by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

作为地球上最大型的齿鲸类，抹香鲸已经被国际自然保护联盟列入了高灭绝风险的野外物种之列。

They」ll tear the throats from grey whale calves, and have even been known to take chunks out of sperm whales - the largest predators that ever lived.

它们会撕裂小灰鲸的喉咙，甚至公认会从抹香鲸——有史以来最大的天敌身上撕下大块的肉。

To snack on octopus and giant squid, sperm whales sometimes dive over 2,000 meters in the sea.

为了猎食章鱼及大型乌贼，抹香鲸有时会潜到2,000多公尺深的海中。

Researchers from his lab and that of St. Andrews University biologist Luke Rendell, another former Whitehead student, have studied sperm whales around the world.

来自他的实验室和他另一名学生、圣安德鲁斯大学生物学家卢克·伦德尔实验室的研究人员研究了世界各地的抹香鲸。