About Westray Heritage Centre

The head of a whale skeleton is now outside the Heritage Centre. The whale came ashore in the bay of Tuquoy in 2007. At approximately 50 feet (16 metres) long this was a large adult male sperm whale.
Most of the bones are here, though, of course, not joined together but you get a good idea of its enormous size. The head - which looks like an enormous elephant foot - weighs about a ton and it is not in the correct position yet, but will be soon. Sperm whales got their name from their heads. When first discovered by hunters it was imagined that the huge amount of rather sticky stuff in their heads was sperm. This has now been discounted and it is thought that this 'stuff' may have some use in the long deep dives made by the whales. They can dive for as long as 90 minutes and yet they are breathing animals. They eat giant squid.