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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...

Scientists Use Bioacoustics to Protect Marine Mammals Sep 20 2011 - 12:27pm In the late 1990's, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) invented the D-Tag—a radio device that can be attached by suction cups to a whale's back. Using a tiny underwater microphone, the tag records sounds that the whale makes and hears underwater. It also records depth,...	Stumpy’s Tail Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am A view of the injured fluke belonging to Phoenix’s mother, Stumpy. It is not known what caused this injury. It possibly could have been an entanglement. More about whales can be found in our Tale of a whale featured story.
Acrobatic Blue Whales Do the Twist While Feeding Jan 8 2013 - 12:06pm I have a vivid childhood memory of sitting under the Blue Whale model hanging in the Natural History Museum in London, eating an ice cream and wondering “How in the world did that whale get so big?” These days we are closer to knowing the answer. Over the past several years, a group of researchers...	The Wandering Fur Seal Jan 14 2011 - 3:03pm During the winter and spring months, tagged fur seals migrate thousands of miles in open water. Scientists are watching this species closely in order to determine the mystery of its population decline, as less and less return each year. Explore other videos that capture the beauty and mystery of...
Sperm Whale Shows His Teeth Jul 27 2012 - 2:49pm A male sperm whale feeding near the surface. Sperm whales are a toothed whale, rather than a baleen whale, and are found throughout the world's oceans.	Florida Manatee in a Fresh Water Spring Aug 29 2012 - 11:13am Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) swimming within a fresh water spring on Crystal River in Florida. Note the tree roots on the right of the frame which make up a portion of this unique ecosystem. Fish aggregate around the manatee and eat algae off of the manatee's body.
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.	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.
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.	Don't Feed Wild Dolphins Nov 24 2010 - 5:53pm A Twelve-Step group for wild animals with people-food addictions? Don’t be responsible for getting a dolphin hooked on human handouts! This cartoon satire portrays a dolphin trying to break his addiction.
Killer Whales Swimming Nov 6 2012 - 10:38am Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have something in common with humans: early menopause. Read Smithsonian marine scientist Nancy Knowlton's blog post to find out more.	A Right Whale Named Phoenix Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Phoenix swimming with her calf in February 2007 in the Southeast calving grounds off the coasts of Georgia and Florida. Researchers track these highly endangered whales (there are only about 450 of them left) very closely and use their skin markings to confirm sightings. The New England Aquarium...
Whale Collections Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am The Smithsonian has more whale skulls and skeletons than any other collection in the world. This photo provides a small glimpse of the amazing variety of skulls and skeletons available for study. Visit the Marine Mammal Program on the National Museum of Natural History's website to find out...	Can Right Whales Recover? Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Phoenix rises out of the waters east of Cape Cod, MA, in April 2003. The rough patches of skin (known as callosities) occur in unique patterns on all North Atlantic right whales and help researchers identify and track individual whales. More about the right whale can be found in our Tale of a Right...
Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino, Mexico Nov 8 2010 - 2:03pm The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino site in Mexico was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993.	Crittercam Jan 26 2010 - 11:45am Smithsonian squid expert Dr. Clyde Roper collaborated with National Geographic to attach this Crittercam to the head of a sperm whale, hoping to get footage of the whale’s favorite prey—giant squid. At left is the Crittercam’s inventor, Greg Marshall, of National Geographic. At right is British...