Species Directory

Marine Mammals

All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Some are also protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

NOAA Fisheries has jurisdiction over approximately 119 marine mammal species, while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has jurisdiction over polar bears, walruses, sea otters, manatees, and dugongs. 
 

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Species Illustration Species Name Species Category Protected Status
Image
harbor seal illustration
placeholder--seal.png
Phoca vitulina
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Southeast
    West Coast
Image
Harp seal illustration. Credit: Jack Hornady
placeholder--seal.png
Pagophilus groenlandicus
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
Image
Illustration of a Hawaiian monk seal with a silvery coat and large black eyes.
placeholder--seal.png
Neomonachus schauinslandi
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered
    Year Listed
    1976
    Region
    Pacific Islands
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Pacific Islands
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Pacific Islands
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-hectors-dolphin.png
placeholder--dolphin.png
Cephalorhynchus hectori
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Maui's dolphin subspecies
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered - Foreign
    Year Listed
    2017
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    South Island Hector's dolphin subspecies
    Species Status
    ESA Threatened - Foreign
    Year Listed
    2017
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-Hooded-Seal.jpg
placeholder--seal.png
Cystophora cristata
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
Image
Left-facing illustration of mostly black Humpback whale with white on underside and pectoral fins and distinctive hump on back.
placeholder--whale.png
Megaptera novaeangliae
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Central America DPS
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered
    Year Listed
    2016
    Region
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Western North Pacific DPS
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered
    Year Listed
    2016
    Region
    Alaska
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Arabian Sea DPS
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered - Foreign
    Year Listed
    2016
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Cape Verde Islands/Northwest Africa DPS
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered - Foreign
    Year Listed
    2016
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Mexico DPS
    Species Status
    ESA Threatened
    Year Listed
    2016
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Western North Pacific stock
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Central North Pacific stock
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    California, Oregon, Washington stock
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
Indus River dolphin illustration. Credit: Jack Hornady
placeholder--dolphin.png
Platanista gangetica minor
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered - Foreign
    Year Listed
    1991
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
Drawing of a killer whale in profile
placeholder--dolphin.png , placeholder--whale.png
Orcinus orca
Also Known As
Orca
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Southern Resident DPS
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered
    Year Listed
    2005
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    AT1 Transient stock
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-long-beaked-common-dolphin.png
placeholder--dolphin.png
Delphinus capensis
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-long-finned-pilot-whale.png
placeholder--whale.png , placeholder--dolphin.png
Globicephala melas
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-Longmans-Beaked-Whale.jpg
placeholder--whale.png
Indopacetus pacificus
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Pacific Islands
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-Mediterranean-monk-seal-juvenile.jpg
placeholder--seal.png
Monachus monachus
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered - Foreign
    Year Listed
    1970
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Foreign
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
Side profile illustration of a melon headed whale
placeholder--whale.png , placeholder--dolphin.png
Peponocephala electra
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-minke-whale.png
placeholder--whale.png
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    All stocks except West Greenland
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    West Greenland stock
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-Narwhal.jpg
placeholder--whale.png
Monodon monoceros
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
Side-profile illustration of North Atlantic right whale with mostly black/dark gray, stocky body and no dorsal fin. Head, mouth area, and jaw shows knobby white patches of rough skin, called callosities.
placeholder--whale.png
Eubalaena glacialis
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered
    Year Listed
    2008; 1970 (original)
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
North Pacific right whale illustration
placeholder--whale.png
Eubalaena japonica
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    ESA Endangered
    Year Listed
    2008; 1970 (original)
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-Northern-Bottlenose-Whale.jpg
placeholder--whale.png
Hyperoodon ampullatus
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix I
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-northern-elephant-seal.png
placeholder--seal.png
Mirounga angustirostris
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
Image
northern fur seal illustration
placeholder--seal.png
Callorhinus ursinus
  • Species Category
    Seals & Sea Lions
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Pribilof Island/Eastern Pacific Stock
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
Image
640x427-northern-right-whale-dolphin.png
placeholder--dolphin.png
Lissodelphis borealis
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-pacific-white-sided-dolphin.png
placeholder--dolphin.png
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    Alaska
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-pantropical-spotted-dolphin.png
placeholder--dolphin.png
Stenella attenuata
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Pacific northeastern offshore spotted stock
    Species Status
    MMPA Depleted
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
Profile drawing of Pygmy Killer Whale
placeholder--whale.png , placeholder--dolphin.png
Feresa attenuata
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Species Category
    Dolphins & Porpoises
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
Image
640x427-Whale_Pygmy_Sperm.jpg.jpg
placeholder--whale.png
Kogia breviceps
  • Species Category
    Whales
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    MMPA Protected
    ---
    ---
    ---
    Region
    New England/Mid-Atlantic
    Pacific Islands
    Southeast
    West Coast
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout Its Range
    Species Status
    CITES Appendix II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---
  • Name of DPS or Stock
    Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region
    Species Status
    SPAW Annex II
    ---
    ---
    ---
    ---