Animal Encyclopedia Category: Marine Mammals

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

The narwhal is one of just two species in the “white whales” family, the other being the beluga. As they are closely related and do not have the characteristic tusk of the males, juvenile and female narwhals can be incorrectly identified as belugas. Narwhals typically have more dark coloration, however, than their solid white cousins. Narwhals are restricted … Read more

Its preferred pupping areas include rocky shores and lava flows. This species is not a true seal and is instead closely related to sea lions and other fur seals (together known as the “eared seals”). The Juan Fernandez fur seal is a generalist predator that feeds mostly on shallow reefs near the shore, though it may … Read more

Hawaiian monk seals are generalist predators known to eat fishes, squids/octopuses, and crustaceans, like crabs and lobsters. They are also one of the few species known to successfully hunt and eat garden eels – elongate, shy eels that live in deep burrows in sand flats near coral reefs – and they have been documented diving to … Read more

Short-beaked common dolphins feed on schooling fishes and squids in the open ocean and may follow some fishes as they migrate along currents or oceanic “fronts.” Like their prey, short-beaked common dolphins form large groups (typically composed of hundreds of individuals) for hunting and socializing, and at times, hundreds of these groups come together to form … Read more

Interestingly, though they are enormous, blue whales are not predatory. They filter feed for tiny krill 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 whales, blue whales are … Read more