Marine Mammals

Aquatic mammals such as whales and dolphins live and feed in the ocean. The Blue Whale is the biggest mammal on Earth.


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Sea Otters Are the Party Animals of the Sea

Sea otters are adorable, back from the brink of extinction and will totally bite you.

It's a Manatee's Life: Swim, Eat, Rest, Repeat

Manatees can weigh up to 1,200 pounds and reach 10 feet in length, but they're so gentle and sweet they'll break your heart.

The Blue Whale: Bigger Than Megalodon

It is the largest animal ever to exist on the planet.

Dolphins Sleep Half a Brain at a Time

A dolphin doesn't breathe automatically, so during sleep, one side of its brain stays awake to ensure the mammal rises to the surface and breathes.

Why Penguin Feet Don't Freeze

Penguins stand for months on the coldest ice in the world without their feet freezing, thanks to special blood circulation.

Why Do Monk Seals Get Eels Up Their Noses?

It looks excruciating, and nobody knows exactly why it happens.

Humpback Whales Start Simpler Songs as Old Ones Get Too Complex

Do humpback whales get tired of singing the same old song, or do they simply start over when it gets too complicated?

PCBs Are Killing Killer Whales

A new study paints a grave future for the killer whale, all because of the now-banned chemicals polychlopinated biphenyls — PCBs.

How Billie the Dolphin Taught Her Flippered Friends to Bust a Move

A dolphin named Billie learned a dolphin-show trick from some captive dolphins, taught her wild friends how to do it and started a fad.

Orca Mother Grieves Dead Calf More Than Two Weeks

A mother orca spent more than two weeks clinging to her dead calf. But why?

Rare Hybrid Whale-dolphin Spotted in Hawaii

Is it a whale ... a dolphin? Is it a whale-pin?

Dolphins and Porpoises: They're Different!

Breaking news: Dolphins and porpoises don't actually look very much alike.

Platypus Milk: Our Best Hope Against an Antibiotic-Resistant Future

The platypus may look a bit absurd and bizarre, but its milk might hold the secret to fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Pablo Escobar's Escaped Hippos Now Roam Wild in Colombia Rivers

Thanks to the excesses of narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar, Colombian waterways now house a population of these invasive African giants.

Narwhals Caught on Video Using Their Tusks to Hunt

It's the first evidence researchers have of the whales using their "unicorn horns" to capture prey.

Solar Flares Could Scramble Signals, Cause Mysterious Whale Beachings

Each year, hundreds of healthy whales end up stranded on beaches, and scientists are investigating what could be behind the phenomenon.

Orca Menopause May Be Related to Mother-Daughter Competition

Only three mammal species on Earth lose the ability to reproduce during middle age. Killer whales, like us, are one of that select group. But why?

Narwhal Echolocation Abilities Exceed Those of Any Other Animal, Study Finds

It turns out that one of the world's most enchanting animals has even stronger superpowers than we previously knew. Surprise!

Humpback Whales Save the Day for Seals, Other Species

Is it altruism? Revenge? Marine scientists aren't quite sure why humpbacks will sometimes save other animals from killer whales on the hunt.

Orcas Altered Their Own Evolution

Orcas have culture, just like humans do. And that culture can influence their evolution.

SeaWorld Ends Orca Program

The current orcas residing at SeaWorld will be the last generation housed there.

What makes beached whales explode?

If a massive whale washed up on your beachfront, you'd think that the bulk of the problem would be ... well, its bulk. But if you were covered in decomposing whale guts, you'd think differently.

Harp Seal

Covered with silver-white fur, the harp seal can weigh up to 320 and resides in the frigid temperatures and ice floes of the Artic.

Leopard Seal

Found Antarctic ocean and shores and occasionally along coasts of South America, the Leopard Seal can grow up to 12 feet and weigh as much as 990 pounds.

Northern Right Whale

With only about three hundred to six hundred remaining, Northern Right Whales can weigh up to 180,000 pounds and are likely to be spotted in coastal waters.