A mother and calf humpback whale swim in ocean.

Marine Mammals

A right whale breaches, lifting its huge body out of the water.

North Atlantic Right Whale Overview

Are you a student researching North Atlantic right whales or someone looking to learn more about right whales? This overview dives into everything to know.

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

Sea otters floating on the surface of the ocean.

article

Not Just Another Fuzzy Face

A hippopotamus-like creature swims underwater

article

Flippers or Feet? An Extinct Mammal May Have Been Replaced By Today's Sea Cows

Sea lions generate thrust, or forward propulsion, by bringing their fore-flippers together in big sweeping motions called “claps.” When a sea lion “claps,” it stretches its flippers out to the sides and sweeps them down. Then it tucks its flippe

article

How Do Sea Lions Swim?

A manatee swims in Crystal River, Florida.

article

From Mermaids to Manatees: the Myth and the Reality

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.

see all lesson plans see marine mammal lesson plans

Marine Mammals Articles

OP Generated Tags (field_op_generated_tags)

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

article

Acrobatic Blue Whales Do the Twist While Feeding

A humpback whale breaching in Antarctic waters.

article

Humpback Whales in Antarctica: What Are the Whales Doing?

In 2011, storms and lack of ice-cover due to a warmer winter climate resulted in hundreds of seal pups being washed up on the shore of Prince Edward Island. Like many, this young seal faced an uncertain future. See more Nature's Best Photos.

article

Ice-Loving Seals and the Loss of Sea Ice

Fossil Whale Digsite at Cerro Ballena, Chile

article

The Whale Graveyard Whodunit

article

Bacteria on Whale Skin Tell a Tale of Health and Sickness

article

History and Modern Science Collide for the 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan

A 3-D reconstruction of the skull of a fin whale fetus.

article

Keeping An Ear Out For Whale Evolution

An unidentified earplug from the National Museum of Natural History collection.

article

Whale Earwax: What You Can Learn From Strange Collections

article

Flippers or Feet? An Extinct Mammal May Have Been Replaced By Today's Sea Cows

article

Ocean Objects of Wonder

article

Not Just Another Fuzzy Face

The 1903 blue whale in the Natural History Museum

article

A Century of Whales at the Smithsonian

Banner Credit

wildestanimal, flickr

Smithsonian Ocean

Marine Mammals

North Atlantic Right Whale Overview

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

Not Just Another Fuzzy Face

Flippers or Feet? An Extinct Mammal May Have Been Replaced By Today's Sea Cows

How Do Sea Lions Swim?

From Mermaids to Manatees: the Myth and the Reality

Are You An Educator?

Acrobatic Blue Whales Do the Twist While Feeding

Humpback Whales in Antarctica: What Are the Whales Doing?

Ice-Loving Seals and the Loss of Sea Ice

The Whale Graveyard Whodunit

Bacteria on Whale Skin Tell a Tale of Health and Sickness

History and Modern Science Collide for the 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan

Keeping An Ear Out For Whale Evolution

Whale Earwax: What You Can Learn From Strange Collections

Flippers or Feet? An Extinct Mammal May Have Been Replaced By Today's Sea Cows

Ocean Objects of Wonder

Not Just Another Fuzzy Face

A Century of Whales at the Smithsonian

Search Smithsonian Ocean