Sperm whales are the largest of all the toothed whales, measuring up to 18 metres in length and weighing up to 60 tonnes. Sperm whales have tube-shaped bodies, small, paddle-shaped flippers, a small, lumped dorsal fin and large triangular tail flukes.

A person who makes scrimshaw is known as a scrimshander.

The Latin name for the sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, translates to ‘blower with a big head’.

To create a piece of scrimshaw, a sailor first scrapes and polishes the tooth or other material smooth. The design is then incised into the surface using a sharp tool such as a sail needle, awl or jack knife. Once the design is complete, the surface is rubbed with ink, soot from the ship’s lamps, tar or even tobacco juice to push the colour deep into the design. The scrimshaw is then wiped and polished again to clean away the excess colour and reveal the image.

The Australian Whale Sanctuary was established to protect whales and dolphins found in Australian waters. This zone includes all Commonwealth waters from the three-nautical-mile state limit to the boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone (ie, out to 200 nautical miles and further in some places).

Before the widespread moratorium on whaling, every part of a whale had commercial use: whale meat was used for human, stock and pet food; whale skin was used for luggage and other leather products; and whale oil was used in the manufacture of margarine and cooking oils, as well as for lamp fuel, lubricants and candles, and as a base for perfumes, soaps and cosmetics. Baleen (whalebone) was used for items such as corsets, whips and umbrellas.

Australia stopped the commercial whaling of humpbacks in 1963, but continued hunting sperm whales until 1978. In 1986 the International Whaling Commission established in an international moratorium on commercial whaling.

Baleen whales have baleen plates with bristles instead of teeth.

Whales can have up to around 250 teeth, but some species have none.