A mother and calf humpback whale swim in ocean.

Marine Mammals

A harp seal in icy water

Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses Overview

Are you a student researching seals or someone looking to learn more about sea lions? Love Walruses? This overview dives into everything to know.

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Featured Content

The Story of Stashed Whale Baleen

a painting of a ship on a plate of baleen

Why a Tusk? The real-life unicorns of the sea and the tusks that make them famous

A narwhal breaches the surface, its tusk pointed to the sky

Are You An Educator?

At Smithsonian Ocean, we have lesson plans, activities, and resources to help you engage your students in the wonders of our oceans.
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Marine Mammals Articles

Seeing with Sound: Acoustic monitoring of beaked whales

A beaked whale at the ocean's surface

The Discovery of Multispecies Communities of Seacows

An illustration of multispecies communities of dugongs from India, Mexico and Florida

Acrobatic Blue Whales Do the Twist While Feeding

Ari Friedlaender, a research scientist at the Duke University Marine Lab, tags a blue whale.

Scientists Use Bioacoustics to Protect Marine Mammals

Phoenix swimming with her calf.

A Gray Whale Makes its Way to the Smithsonian

A gray whale spinal column viewed from the top through the vertebrae.

When Did Today’s Whales Get So Big?

Blue whale skull being installed at National Museum of Natural History.