 The most common natural predator of sperm whales is the orca , but pilot whales and false killer whales sometimes harass them . Orcas prey on target groups of females with young , usually making an effort to extract and kill a calf . The adults will protect their calves or an injured adult by encircling them . They may face inwards with their tails out ( the ' marguerite formation ' , named after the flower ) . The heavy and powerful tail of an adult whale can deliver lethal blows . Alternatively , they may face outwards ( the ' heads @-@ out formation ' ) . Other than sperm whales , southern right whales had been observed to perform similar formations . However , formations in non dangerous situations have been recorded as well . Early whalers exploited this behaviour , attracting a whole unit by injuring one of its members . If the orca pod is extremely large , its members may sometimes be able to kill adult female sperm whales . Solitary mature males are known to interfere and come to the aid of vulnerable groups nearby . Individual large mature male sperm whales have no non @-@ human predators , and are believed to be too large , powerful and aggressive to be threatened by orcas . In addition , male sperm whales have been observed to attack and intimidate orca pods . An incident was filmed from a long @-@ line trawler : an orca pod was systematically taking fish caught on the trawler 's long lines ( as the lines were being pulled into the ship ) when a male sperm whale appeared to repeatedly charge the orca pod in an attempt to drive them away ; it was speculated by the film crew that the sperm whale was attempting to access the same fish . The orcas employed a tail outward and tail slapping defensive position against the bull sperm whale similar to that used by female sperm whales against attacking orcas . 
