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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.
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
Credit: Scott Benson, NOAA. Permit number: MMHSRP Permit #18786
The Pacific leatherback sea turtles have existed in their current form without scales and a hard shell since the age of the dinosaurs, but threats from bycatch, egg harvesting, and degradation of nesting habit have made this species endangered. Photo credit Jason Isley, Scubazoo.
North Atlantic right whale breaks the surface of the water in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Alison Ogilvie
Seven Stejneger’s beaked whales that stranded at Palisades Point on Adak Island, Alaska.
Research
Cetacean Life History
Stranding data fill in critical missing parts of the cetacean life history story
Species Distribution Models
Habitat-based density estimates for cetaceans in the California Current Ecosystem
Insight
Understanding Marine Mammal Protections
Learn how NOAA Fisheries protects all marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
