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.

Species Illustration	Species Name	Species Category	Protected Status
Image	Baird’s Beaked Whale Berardius bairdii	Species Category Whales	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 I --- --- --- ---
Image	Blainville's Beaked Whale Mesoplodon densirostris	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 --- --- --- ---
Image	Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus	Species Category Whales	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 1970 Recovery Plan Final --- Region Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast 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 Throughout Its Range 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	Bryde’s Whale Balaenoptera edeni	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 --- --- --- ---
Image	California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus	Species Category Seals & Sea Lions	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status MMPA Protected --- --- --- Region West Coast
Image	Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus	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 Western North Atlantic Northern Florida Coastal stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region Southeast Name of DPS or Stock Western North Atlantic Central Florida Coastal stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region Southeast Name of DPS or Stock Western North Atlantic Northern Migratory Coastal stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Name of DPS or Stock Western North Atlantic South Carolina-Georgia Coastal stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region Southeast Name of DPS or Stock Western North Atlantic Southern Migratory Coastal stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region New England/Mid-Atlantic 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	Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris	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 Throughout Its Range Species Status CITES Appendix II --- --- --- --- Name of DPS or Stock Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region Species Status SPAW Annex II --- --- --- ---
Image	Dall’s Porpoise Phocoenoides dalli	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	Dwarf Sperm Whale Kogia sima	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 --- --- --- ---
Image ,	False Killer Whale Pseudorca crassidens	Species Category Dolphins & Porpoises Species Category Whales	Name of DPS or Stock Main Hawaiian Islands Insular DPS Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 2012 Recovery Plan Final Critical Habitat Final Region Pacific Islands Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status MMPA Protected --- --- --- Region Alaska Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast Name of DPS or Stock Main Hawaiian Islands Insular stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region Alaska 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	Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus	Species Category Whales	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 1970 Recovery Plan Final --- Region Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast 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 Throughout Its Range 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 I --- --- --- --- Name of DPS or Stock Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region Species Status SPAW Annex II --- --- --- ---
Image	Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus	Species Category Whales	Name of DPS or Stock Western North Pacific DPS Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 1994; 1970 (original) --- --- Region Alaska West Coast Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status MMPA Protected --- --- --- Region Alaska West Coast Foreign Name of DPS or Stock Western North Pacific DPS Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region Alaska West Coast Foreign Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status CITES Appendix I --- --- --- ---
Image	Guadalupe Fur Seal Arctocephalus townsendi	Species Category Seals & Sea Lions	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status ESA Threatened Year Listed 1985 --- --- 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	Harbor Porpoise Phocoena phocoena	Species Category Dolphins & Porpoises	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status MMPA Protected --- --- --- Region Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast West Coast Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status CITES Appendix II --- --- --- ---
Image	Harbor Seal 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	Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae	Species Category Whales	Name of DPS or Stock Central America DPS Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 2016 Recovery Plan Under Development Critical Habitat Final Region West Coast Name of DPS or Stock Western North Pacific DPS Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 2016 Recovery Plan Under Development Critical Habitat Final Region Alaska Name of DPS or Stock Arabian Sea DPS Species Status ESA Endangered - Foreign Year Listed 2016 Recovery Plan Final --- Region Foreign Name of DPS or Stock Cape Verde Islands/Northwest Africa DPS Species Status ESA Endangered - Foreign Year Listed 2016 Recovery Plan Final --- Region Foreign Name of DPS or Stock Mexico DPS Species Status ESA Threatened Year Listed 2016 Recovery Plan Under Development Critical Habitat Final 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 Name of DPS or Stock Central America/Southern Mexico - California-Oregon-Washington stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region West Coast Name of DPS or Stock Mainland Mexico - California-Oregon-Washington stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region West Coast 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 ,	Killer Whale 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 Recovery Plan Final Critical Habitat Final 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	Long-Beaked Common Dolphin 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 ,	Melon-Headed Whale 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	Minke Whale 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	North Pacific Right Whale Eubalaena japonica	Species Category Whales	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 2008; 1970 (original) Recovery Plan Final Critical Habitat Final 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	Northern Elephant Seal 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 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	Northern Right Whale Dolphin 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	Pacific White-Sided Dolphin 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 --- --- --- ---