Region²

N³

Minimum⁴

Maximum

Mean

Standard Error

Sea of Cortez

25 (23)

0.1

12.2

1.6

0.5

Galapagos

7 (6)

0.2

6.2

1.2

0.8

Pacific Crossing

22 (20)

0.1

4.2

0.7

0.2

Kiribati

1 (1)

0.6

0.6

0.6

-

Papua New Guinea

23 (21)

0.1

13.6

1.5

0.6

Australia

16 (15)

0.1

2.0

0.6

0.1

Cocos

18 (17)

0.1

2.4

0.7

0.1

Indian Ocean Crossing

4 (4)

0.2

0.6

0.4

0.1

Chagos

12 (12)

0.1

3.4

0.9

0.3

Seychelles

36 (36)

0.1

2.3

0.5

0.1

Maldives

35 (31)

0.1

26.8

1.6

0.8

Sri Lanka

24 (22)

0.1

7.0

0.7

0.5

Mauritius

29 (26)

0.1

27.9

1.2

1.0

Mediterranean

23 (18)

0.1

2.3

0.5

0.1

Canary Islands

23 (23)

0.1

0.4

0.2

0.0

¹193 adult female sperm whales and 105 male sperm whales were sampled; ²Specific regions are named for the nearest land body or ocean region; ³Whales with detectable levels in parentheses; ⁴All data are presented in ug total Ba/g tissue wet weight. Regions that differ: Canary Islands with Papua New Guinea and Sea of Cortez; and Mauritius with Sea of Cortez.