Animal Encyclopedia Category: Marine Mammals

Ringed seals live most of their lives associated with Arctic sea ice. They hunt under the ice for schooling fishes (particularly the Polar Cod) and pelagic invertebrates. In addition to taking advantage of natural cracks or gaps in the ice cover, ringed seals are able to cut and maintain breathing holes, furthering their ability to both hunt … 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

Coastal populations of common bottlenose dolphins are more territorial and utilize a larger number of coastal habitats – from bays and estuaries to seagrass beds, beaches, and other ecosystems. Oceanic populations are more migratory in nature and apparently do not visit coastal ecosystems. Common bottlenose dolphins can be quite large, reaching weights of up to 1400 pounds … Read more

Sperm whales have several specialized physical characteristics that aid in this predatory behavior. They have large conical teeth for ensnaring their preferred prey. Like most active predators, they have large brains and in fact, the sperm whale has the largest brain of any animal on the planet. They also have the most powerful sonar of any animal, which … Read more

The walrus’s tusks are actually greatly elongated canine teeth. Both males and females have tusks, with the males’ being much longer. The largest tusks can reach lengths over three feet (one meter) long. They are used to fight to establish dominance hierarchies, to avoid predation, and to haul out on the ice surface to rest. They may also be … Read more

Steller sea lions are generalist predators that eat a variety of large, marine fishes (Pacific Cod, Pollack, salmons, flatfishes, etc.), along with squids and octopuses. They are known to pester fishers by eating fishes out of their nets, bringing them into dangerous contact with humans. As they are some of the largest animals throughout their range, steller … Read more

This species feeds on schooling, mesopelagic fishes and squids in the open ocean. Like their prey, spinner dolphins form large groups – typically composed of hundreds or even thousands of individuals – for hunting and socializing. Spinner dolphins are known for being quite playful and put on impressive aerial displays, breaching and spinning regularly. Mating also occurs in groups, … Read more

The charismatic sea otter is one of the most well-known marine mammals today. The largest member of the weasel family, they can grow to be nearly 5 feet long and weigh almost 100 pounds. They spend nearly their entire life in the ocean in the temperate coastal waters on the Pacific Coast and have a … Read more