aquatic mammals library

 

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

Featured Article:  How can whale vomit help me retire?

If you're wandering through a thrift store and happen upon a large mass of some sort of waxy substance, take a closer look. It could be the rare "floating gold" of the sea: whale vomit. Find out how this gift from the sea can help you retire. See more »

Can manatees see underwater?

Can manatees see underwater?

If you don't make it past that first "E" during your annual vision test, you might give bats a reprieve by calling yourself "blind as a manatee."

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Do whales and dolphins sleep?

Do whales and dolphins sleep?

Do whales and dolphins sleep? I know they have to come to the surface of the water periodically to breathe, so wouldn't they die if they dozed off?

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How Baleen Whales Work

How Baleen Whales Work

Bushy mustaches like the ones that Magnum P.I. or Super Mario sport are a bold fashion statement. But for baleen whales, they never go out of style.

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How can dolphins disarm sea mines?

How can dolphins disarm sea mines?

Dolphins and war? That seems like an unfortunate pairing. But the U.S. Navy has been training the gregarious sea creatures to spot sea mines since the 1960s. Are they good at it?

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How can whale vomit help me retire?

How can whale vomit help me retire?

If you're wandering through a thrift store and happen upon a large mass of some sort of waxy substance, take a closer look. It could be the rare "floating gold" of the sea: whale vomit. Find out how this gift from the sea can help you retire.

See more »
How do walruses sleep in the water without drowning?

How do walruses sleep in the water without drowning?

Whether you're sleeping on a water bed or napping during a rainstorm, water has a calming effect. Walruses also make use of soothing waves, but why don't they drown when catching submerged shut-eye?

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How Narwhals Work

How Narwhals Work

What? You've never heard of a narwhal? Well, it's a cold-water-dwelling, deep-diving, vocalizing, halibut-munching wonder with its very own ivory crown. Did we mention its crazy tusk?

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How Walruses Work

How Walruses Work

Each year, thousands of male Pacific walruses pack the beaches of Round Island off the coast of Alaska. Is there a reason for this months-long male bonding?

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How Whales Work

How Whales Work

Despite their monumental proportions, the most phenomenal thing about whales isn't how big they are: It's the way they live. Whales are mammals -- warm-blooded, air-breathing creatures -- but they spend their entire life in the ocean. Find out about these awe-inspiring creatures.

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Marine Mammal Quiz

Marine Mammal Quiz

When you think of marine life, you probably think about scaly fish with gills, but there are a variety of aquatic mammals that breathe air. So hold your breath and dive into the marine mammals quiz!

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Walrus Quiz

Walrus Quiz

The walrus has many clever adaptations to help it survive and thrive in some of the harshest climates on Earth. You may not be the walrus, but test your knowledge of these toothy creatures in the walrus quiz anyway.

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What happens to whales when they die?

What happens to whales when they die?

Vindictive whales like Moby Dick sometimes give these giants of the sea a bad rap. But whales do a lot for their ecosystem, especially after they go to Davy Jones' locker.

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What is the biggest animal ever to exist on Earth?

What is the biggest animal ever to exist on Earth?

What is the biggest animal ever to exist on Earth? The largest animal that is currently living on the planet is the blue whale, but was it the largest animal to have ever existed in history? Find out the answer in this article.

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What's the difference between a seal and a sea lion?

What's the difference between a seal and a sea lion?

Dog shows aren't the only places you'll hear barking and clapping. Seals and sea lions welcome beachgoers with their uproarious get-togethers. But how do you tell the difference between the two?

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Why are orca called killer whales?

Why are orca called killer whales?

Some people call orcas the wolves of the sea, yet others want to swim with them. Why are these animals known as killers -- or are they just getting a bad rap?

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Beluga

Beluga

Beluga, or White Whale, a toothed whale of the Arctic, related to the narwhal. The beluga reaches a length of 11 to 18 feet (3.4 to 5.5 m).

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Bottle-Nosed Dolphins' Aggressive Behavior

Bottle-Nosed Dolphins' Aggressive Behavior

Bottle-nosed dolphins have long had the image of being intelligent guardians of the sea who speak their own language, enjoy the company of humans, and have even saved shipwrecked sailors from certain doom by leading them to land.

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Dolphins

Dolphins

Dolphin, a toothed whale that is related to the porpoise. The dolphin has a long, streamlined body; some species have a prominent beaklike snout.

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Narwhal

Narwhal

Narwhal, a toothed whale found in arctic waters near Canada and Greenland. The male narwhal has a long, spiralled tusk.

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Porpoise

Porpoise

Porpoise, the smallest of the toothed whales. It resembles the dolphin, but is smaller, seldom more than six feet (1.8 m) long, and has a blunt muzzle instead of a pointed one.

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