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 Name

Species Category

Protected Status

Region

Display

Species Illustration	Species Name	Species Category	Protected Status
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	Harp Seal 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	Hawaiian Monk Seal Neomonachus schauinslandi	Species Category Seals & Sea Lions	Name of DPS or Stock Throughout Its Range Species Status ESA Endangered Year Listed 1976 Recovery Plan Final Critical Habitat Final 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	Hector’s Dolphin 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	Hooded Seal 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	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 Mainland Mexico - California-Oregon-Washington stock Species Status MMPA Depleted --- --- --- Region West Coast 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	Indus River Dolphin 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 ,	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 ,	Long-Finned Pilot Whale Globicephala melas	Species Category Dolphins & Porpoises Species Category Whales	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 --- --- --- --- Name of DPS or Stock Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region Species Status SPAW Annex II --- --- --- ---
Image	Longman's Beaked Whale 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	Mediterranean Monk Seal 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 ,	Melon-Headed Whale Peponocephala electra	Species Category Dolphins & Porpoises 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	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	Narwhal 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	North Atlantic Right Whale Eubalaena glacialis	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 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 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 Bottlenose Whale 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	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 --- --- --- ---
Image	Pantropical Spotted Dolphin 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 ,	Pygmy Killer Whale Feresa attenuata	Species Category Dolphins & Porpoises Species Category Whales	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	Pygmy Sperm Whale 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 --- --- --- ---