Why did Connecticut name their state animal as the Sperm Whale? During the 1800′s, the Connecticut whaling industry was second-largest in the country and the Sperm Whale was on the top of their ht list for many of the product for which they were known. When the declining numbers of the gentle giants put them on the endangered species lists, the state quickly changed their tune and named the Sperm Whale as their state animal to promote peaceful conditions for the animals to repopulate.