Marine Mammals of the U.S. North Pacific & Arctic
Identification guide for marine mammals in Alaska and the Arctic.
You can help protect marine animals!
- Admire from a distance
- Report a crime
- Be an ocean steward
- Report strandings, entanglements, and ship strikes
- Adhere to local guidelines or regulations for boating, fishing,
- and whale watching.
- Keep your distance! Remain at least 100 yards from marine
- mammals in the water and on land.
- Support companies that commit to using best practices and
- protecting the oceans.
- Marine mammals are wild animals - don’t feed or touch them.
- National Wildlife Viewing Guidelines
- Whale SENSE program
Report a Crime
- It is illegal to harm, harass, or capture a marine mammal, to collect marine mammal parts, or to attempt to do any of these things - with limited exceptions.
- Report suspected violations to the NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964
Report strandings, entanglements, and ship strikes
- Keep your distance and never attempt to touch or interact with animals on the beach.
- Report sick or injured animals by calling a stranding hotline so trained staff can respond to the situation:
- NOAA Fisheries (877) 925-7773
- Alaska SeaLife Center (888) 774-7325 (SEAL)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife (800) 362-5148
Be an ocean steward
- Recycle, reuse, dispose of garbage properly, and don’t release balloons into the air. This will help prevent marine debris and keep the oceans clean and healthy.
- Cut all packing bands and netting that could entangle marine life.
- Report derelict fishing gear.
- Tell your families and friends what they can do to help protect marine mammals!