Animal Encyclopedia Category: Marine Mammals

Long-finned pilot whales are active predators that eat mostly squid, including relatively large-bodied species. They will also eat bony fishes when they are common. In some areas, the long-finned pilot whale can be observed forming mixed species groups with sperm whales (another toothed whale that feeds preferentially on squid) and also with smaller dolphins. Like all mammals, long-finned … Read more

Interestingly, though they are enormous, humpback whales are not predatory. They filter feed for tiny krill or small pelagic fishes and are totally harmless to people (other than through accidental collisions). This life history strategy is common among several large animals in the ocean, including the whale shark, the basking shark, and the other great whales. Like all … Read more

Harp seals are foraging predators that eat several dozen species of bony fishes and invertebrates. They will eat just about anything they can catch. Juveniles eat krill and other pelagic crustaceans, and the diet diversifies as they grow. Adult harp seals are eaten by killer whales and large sharks. Juveniles are eaten by polar bears and other terrestrial predators, including foxes … Read more

The dugong, like all sea cows, is herbivorous. It primarily grazes on sea grasses and therefore spends most of its time in sea grass beds. Unlike the closely related manatees, the dugong never enters freshwater and is therefore the only exclusively marine mammal that is herbivorous. As in most herbivores, the dugong’s brain is very small compared to … Read more

The West Indian manatee, like all sea cows, is herbivorous. It primarily grazes on sea grasses and therefore spends most of its time in sea grass beds. As in most herbivores, this manatee’s brain is very small compared to its body size, likely because it does not have to develop complex hunting strategies to capture prey. It uses … Read more

Risso’s dolphins feed primarily on squid of all sizes (including the humboldt squid) and are therefore excellent divers, spending much of their feeding time at depth, hunting for their preferred prey. Scientists believe that much of the white scarring on the heads of these animals may be a result of aggressive interactions with large-bodied squids. Risso’s dolphins … Read more

Polar bears are aggressive predators, known for taking a variety of prey. They spend most of the year associated with Arctic sea ice, where they hunt ringed seal and bearded seal pups. Polar bears have an excellent sense of smell and can locate pups even when they are buried in snow dens. Polar bears can easily use their size … Read more

The North Atlantic right whale is one of three species of right whales (the North Pacific right whale and Southern right whale are the two other species). Like all the great baleen whales, this species can grow quite large. With lengths of up to 50 feet (15 m) and weighing up to 64 metric tonnes (140,000 pounds), the … Read more

Though leopard seals obtain all of their food resources from the water, they must come ashore to pup and to care for their young. Unlike other species of Antarctic seals, which mate on land or on the ice surface, leopard seals mate in the water. The males apparently do not visit the pupping areas and do not … Read more

Orcas get their nickname “killer whales” from their reputation of being ferocious predators, exhibiting almost hateful behaviors when toying with their prey. Interestingly, however, killer whales are actually very large dolphins, reaching lengths of 33 feet (10 m) and weights of at least 10 metric tones (22,000 pounds). Orcas and other dolphins are thought to be some of … Read more