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Ocean Portal by The Smithsonian Institution

Mammals

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PHOTO Common Dolphin and Calf Toothed whales, like this common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and its calf, live in social groups called pods. The mother and calf form a pair that shares a long-term bond. Read more about to...MORE PHOTOS


	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Hawaiian Monk Seal The endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is one of hundreds of...
	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Florida Manatee in a Fresh Water Spring Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) swimming within a fresh water s...
	PHOTO MORE PHOTOS Humpback Whale Breaching Breaching is a behavior seen in some baleen whales, where they launch their enti...

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					West Indian Manatee Portrait May 17, 2013 - 9:24AMWest Indian Manatees, Trichechus manatus, are found in warm, shallow coastal ecosystems along the southeastern North America and northeastern South America. They graze plants in mangrove ecosystems and seagrass beds, occasionally...

Humpback Whale in Antarctic Waters

Apr 4, 2013 - 9:22AM

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaengliae) can be found in Antarctic waters...

Harp Seal, Prince Edward Island National Park, Canada

Apr 3, 2013 - 9:04AM

Harp seals are protected in the United States by the Marine Mammal...

SPOTLIGHT


Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) The TOPP program brought together scientists from seven countries to explore the lives of large mid-water animals such as...

Sperm Whale Post-Mortem Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am The Smithsonian Marine Mammal team moves into action after a dead sperm whale is spotted floating off Cape Hatteras, N.C. Smithsonian marine mammalogist Dr. James Mead is in the water.	Phoenix near Maine Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am This photograph was snapped as Phoenix swam in the Gulf of Maine in July 2008. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a Whale featured story.
Phoenix and Her Calf Sighted in February 2012 Apr 24 2012 - 11:28am Phoenix, the North Atlantic right whale whose replica hangs from the ceiling of the Sant Ocean Hall at the National Museum of Natural History, was sighted with a calf off of Amelia Island in Florida on February 22, 2012.	How Whales Become Entangled Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am This illustration shows how fishing lines attached to traps and buoys on the ocean floor present a potentially deadly hazard to North Atlantic right whales.
Humpback Whale Breaching Aug 2 2012 - 10:51am Breaching is a behavior seen in some baleen whales, where they launch their entire body out of the water headfirst and land with a large splash.	Galapagos Sea Lion Yawning Sep 26 2012 - 9:12am A Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) rests on a beach in Ecuador. The population of these charming animals swings wildly during El Niño events, but is declining overall. They are currently listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Listening for Clues About Sonar’s Effects on Marine Mammals Jan 5 2011 - 10:55am Many animals depend on their eyes to navigate, find food, locate mates, and for other important activities. But marine mammals often rely on sound—sometimes far more than sight—for such critical daily tasks. Increasingly though, boat traffic, energy extraction, and other noisy human activities echo...	Grey Seal Strikes a Pose Jun 29 2012 - 8:42pm A Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) poses in the waters off Acadia National Park in Maine. Grey seals live on both coasts of the Northern Atlantic, with breeding colonies in Great Britain, Ireland, and down the eastern coast of North America from Canada down to New Jersey. They used to be hunted in...
Efforts to Protect the Critically Endangered Monk Seal Jun 14 2011 - 2:53pm Monk seals -- the only completely tropical species of seal in the world -- are in trouble.	Right Whale Baleen Dec 31 2012 - 8:49am A right whale opens its mouth wide, revealing huge plates of baleen hanging from its upper jaw. There are between 200 and 270 baleen plates on each side of a right whale's upper jaw. They work like a giant sieve to catch the whale's food. Strong but flexible, baleen is made of the same substance as...
Polar Bear on the Ice Jan 14 2013 - 11:22am Polar bears have evolved to survive in the Arctic with large, oar-like front paws for better swimming, as well as insulating blubber, and two layers of fur for the frigid temperatures. They rely on pack ice, traveling thousands of miles in a year looking for food (mostly ringed and bearded seals,...	Phoenix: Mouth Scarring Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am An early scale model of North Atlantic right whale Phoenix that was used to develop a life size model for the Smithsonian shows the location of scars on her mouth from entanglements with fishing gear. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a Whale featured story.
Spinner Dolphins in Hawaii Aug 16 2010 - 12:41pm Graceful spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) swim through the dazzling blue waters of the Papahānaumokuākea National Monument, northwest of the main Hawaiian archipelago. Papahānaumokuākea was listed as a Marine World Heritage Site in August 2010.	Phoenix and Second Calf Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am In December 2003, researchers spotted Phoenix off the coast of Florida with her second calf. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a Whale featured story.
Painting the Model of Phoenix Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am A model marker applies paint to the life-size, meticulously detailed model of the North Atlantic right whale Phoenix which today is on exhibit in the Smithsonian’s Sant Ocean Hall in the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a...	Ad for Whale Baleen Umbrellas Jan 26 2010 - 11:46am Whale baleen, the stiff bristly mouthparts that sieve small prey from the water, was strong yet flexible, and was used to provide structure in many human products, including umbrellas, corsets, and whips. Right whales were easy, lucrative prey. However, it's not used anymore: this species is...