<P> The sperm whale was designated as the Connecticut state animal by the CT General Assembly in 1975 . It was selected because of its specific contribution to the state's history and because of its present - day plight as an endangered species . </P> <P> Sperm whales are not the easiest of whales to watch, due to their long dive times and ability to travel long distances underwater . However, due to the distinctive look and large size of the whale, watching is increasingly popular . Sperm whale watchers often use hydrophones to listen to the clicks of the whales and locate them before they surface . Popular locations for sperm whale watching include the town of Kaikoura on New Zealand's South Island, Andenes and Tromsø in Arctic Norway; as well as the Azores, where the continental shelf is so narrow that whales can be observed from the shore, and Dominica where a long - term scientific research program, The Dominica Sperm Whale Project, has been in operation since 2005 . </P> <P> 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 . </P>

How many sperm whales are in the ocean