List of sea mammals

Dis forDolphin

Video: view

Dolphins are a medium sized animal that lives in the water, mainly the sea but they are also found in lakes and rivers. They are not fish, as they need to come to the surface to breathe, the same as we do when we are swimming. Dolphins eat mostly fish. They are intelligent and can be taught tricks.

Sea mammals

Photo by Christian Haugen

Dis forDugong

Scientific name: dugong dugon

Dugongs are closely related to manatees, but unlike manatees they live in salty water. Dugongs are mammals, and they eat seagrasses in shallow water near the coast.

Sea mammals

Photo by ASCOM Prefeitura de Votuporanga

Mis forManatee

Scientific name: family: trichechidae, genus: trichechus

Manatees, also called sea cows, are mammals closely related to the dugong. They grow to around 3 meters long, and weigh around 4,000 pounds (1,700kg). They eat plants in fairly shallow water around the coast and in rivers.

Sea mammals

Photo by Public domain image

Nis forNarwhal

Scientific name: Monodon monoceros

Narwhals are a kind of medium sized whale that has a long tusk growing from the middle of their head, like a unicorn's horn. They live in the northern part of the world, in the arctic waters.

Sea mammals

Photo by Ed Schipul

Ois forOrca

Scientific name: Orcinus orca

The orca, or killer whale, is the largest member of the dolphin family. They are found in oceans all over the world. Orcas are hunters, and will eat fish, sharks, seals and even whales. They grow to around 6-8 metres long, and can live to be 80 years old, although most males only get to be 30 and females 50. A female orca will have one calf every 5 years.

Sea mammals

Photo by Lawrence Murray

Sis forSeal

Scientific name: pinniped

Seals are a large animal that spends most of its time in the sea. Seals eat fish, and come up onto the beach to rest and have baby seals. The closest land relative to the seal is the bear, and their closest relatives in the water are walruses.

Sea mammals

Photo by National Oceanic & Atmospheric Adminstration (NOAA)

Wis forWalrus

Scientific name: odobenus rosmarus

Video: view

A walrus is a large animal that spends most of its time in the sea. They eat clams, sea snails and other animals from the bottom of the sea. They can live to about 50 years old, and a male walrus can grow to weigh between 1,600 and 1,900kg, and get 10-12 feet long. They are distantly related to the seal.

Sea mammals

Photo by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Wis forWhale

Whales are a large animal that lives in the sea. They are not fish, as they need to come to the surface to breathe, the same as we do when we are swimming. There are many different varieties of whale. Some eat fish, penguins and seals, but the majority of whales have a large mouth full of tiny bristles that they use to filter tiny sea animals out from the water to eat. The whale is closely related to the dolphin.

Sea mammals