Rare sperm whale spotted near San Juan Islands

SAN JUAN ISLANDS, Wash. (FOX 13) - A sperm whale was spotted in inland waters for the first time Saturday.

Members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association recorded the animal, who is named “Yukusam,” capturing the sounds of his echo-location. 

According to the Whale Watch Association, male sperm whales almost never travel that far south, making this a unique discover. It's the first sperm whale sighting for the area. Yukusam was last spotted in British Columbia in February. 

The association said the sighting means he is slowly making his way south. 

"They eat giant squid. They're very deep divers and can dive down to over a kilometer. We don't have a lot of waters that is very deep out here," Jeff Friedman, president of Pacific Whale Watch Association said to Q13 FOX.

Sperm whales can grow up to 60 feet, reports Q13 FOX. Yukusam is estimated to be about 45 feet long.