Types of Marine Mammals
Welcome. Marine mammals are a class of warm blooded animals (Mammalia) that live most of their lives in the sea.
Most people think of whales, dolphins and seals as the primary marine mammals. However, polar bears and sea otters, among others, also are classified as marine mammals.
This album covers some of the common marine mammals found around the coasts and beaches of the United States.
The pinnipeds fit into three different families:
- Phocidae (earless seals or true seals)
- Otaridae (eared or fur seals and sea lions)
- Odobenidae (walrus)
© 2011. Patricia A. Michaels