Whales are among the largest and oldest animals on Earth. They can be found in every ocean and range in size from the small dwarf sperm whale to the massive blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. Whales belong to a group of marine mammals called cetaceans. Marine mammals in the cetacean family include whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
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There are two types of cetaceans: baleen and toothed. Baleen whales, or Mysticetes, have baleen plates which sieve prey, like krill, from the water. Toothed whales, or Odontocetes, have teeth and feed on fish, squid, and other marine mammals such as seals and sea lions.
Together with our partners, we work to ensure the conservation of whales which are all protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and protect and recover those that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Species News
Bowhead whales. Image captured during the 2025 aerial survey over the Beaufort Sea. Photo taken while working under authority of NOAA Fisheries Research Permit #25563-02. Credit: NOAA Fisheries & CICOES / Skyla Walcott
North Atlantic right whale #4150 “Accordion” and her first calf swimming close to the shipping lanes at the entrance to the Port of New York and New Jersey. Accordion is named for the propeller scars on her back that resemble the musical instrument. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Tim Cole, taken under NOAA permit #27066.
Feature Story
Messaging Mariners in Real Time to Reduce North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strikes
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
Digital acoustic recording tags temporarily attached to killer whales measured vessel noise reaching the whales. The suction cup tags eventually fall off without harming the whales. Photos taken under NOAA Fisheries and Department of Fisheries and Oceans research permit (No.781-1824 and 16163).
Gray whale mother and her calf on their northbound migration. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Multimedia
A gray whale and her calf migrate north along the California coast on their way to summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. Scientists are using an unmanned aerial vehicle to produce very precise overhead images of gray whales, then analyzing the images to understand how environmental conditions affect the health of adult females and ultimately the reproductive success of the population. Credit: NOAA
Researchers retrieve a passive acoustic recorder. Courtesy: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Video
Listening for Whales: Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring to Track North Atlantic Right Whales
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
Research
Peer-Reviewed Research
Beaked Whale Dive Behavior and Acoustic Detection Range off Louisiana Using Three-Dimensional Acoustic Tracking
Echolocation clicks detected on two recorders were localized in 3D to characterize acoustic and…
Developing Viable On-Demand Gear Systems
On-demand gear development continues to evolve with the help of industry.
Satellite Monitoring of North Atlantic Right Whales
Geospatial Artificial Intelligence For Animals uses high-resolution satellite imagery to detect endangered North Atlantic right whales
Surveys in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
We conduct research and monitoring surveys to better understand the physical, biological, economic, and social components of marine ecosystems found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean from the Canadian Scotian Shelf to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Understanding Marine Mammal Protections
Learn how NOAA Fisheries protects all marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
