List of Endangered Sea Mammals

The ocean is filled with exotic sea mammals that thrive in the majestic oceans. However, there are major threats to the survival of these creatures; many are now classified as endangered sea mammals. Some of the common contributing factors to their endangerment include pollution, commercial killing and entrapment.

  1. Blue Whale

    • The scientific name of the Blue Whale is Balaenoptera musculus.

      The Blue Whale is the largest animal that has ever lived, even in comparison to dinosaurs. It is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans. According to the website Arkive, there are approximately 5000 Blue Whales that remain in the oceans. Blue Whales travel in groups of 60. They feed on shrimp-like krill. Blue Whales spend most their summer feeding in cold waters.

      The major contributing factors to Blue Whale endangerment are pollution, the Japanese whaling industry and the illegal killing of the whale.

    Sperm Whale

    • The scientific name of a Sperm Whale is Physeter macrocephalus.

      The Sperm Whale has the largest brain of any living animal. It has a single blowhole and finds as its habitats all of the oceans except the Arctic Ocean. The Sperm Whale dwells in waters at least 200 meters deep. It has been recorded that some Sperm Whales dive as deep as 3000 meters. They mainly feed on squid, octopus and fish.

      The contributing factors to the endangerment of the Sperm Whale are commercial exploitation, the meat industry in Japan, entanglement in commercial fishing gear and collisions with fishing vessels.

    Bottlenose Dolphin

    • The scientific name of the Bottlenose Dolphin is Tursiops truncatus.

      The Bottlenose Dolphin travels mostly in the coastal waters of temperate, tropical and subtropical areas. They are often found in the English Channel in Britain. The dolphin is a highly intelligent animal. It communicates through a range of sound waves with other dolphins. In addition, the Bottlenose Dolphin lives in groups of 10 to 100 dolphins. Its diet consists of a variety of fish and invertebrates.

      The contributing factors to their endangerment are human disturbances, entanglement in commercial fishing nets, illegal hunting, and chemical and noise pollution.