Brownish gray above, with silvery cast on yellowish-gray “mane” on nape; brownish black below, with chest lighter in adult males. Snout pointed, rust-orange on sides. Flippers large. Length male to 6' 3" (1.9 m), female to 4' 7" (1.4 m).… read more
Very large flippers. Tiny tail. Small head; short, pointed nose; large eyes; long whiskers. Male blackish above, with massive grayish shoulders, enlarged neck. Female gray above. Both reddish below. Male 6' 3"-7' 3" (1.9-2.2 m), female 3' 7"-4' 7" (1.1-1.4 m).… read more
Bull buff above, reddish brown below; dark brown flippers; massive neck and forequarters; prominent, otterlike forehead. Cow all brown, one-third size of male, more cylindrical in shape. Male 8' 10"-10' 6" (2.7-3.2 m), female 6' 3"-7' 3" (1.9-2.2 m).… read more
Buff to brown; appears black when wet. Male dark brown, female "blond." Male's head paler with age; hair on forehead much lighter than rest of body. Male has high forehead. Male 6' 7"-8' 2" (2-2.5 m), female 4' 11"-6' 7" (1.5-2 m).… read more
Walrus Odobenus rosmarus
Upper canines form large tusks. Nearly hairless body yellowish, reddish, pink, or brown to almost white. Muzzle covered with about 400 bristles. Short, round head. Atlantic: 7'7"-11'10" (2.3-3.6 m); to 1,650 lb (750 kg). Pacific larger: to 3,300 lb (1,500 kg).… read more
A large seal, with proportionally small head. Uniformly grayish to yellowish. Bearded with tufts of long, flat bristles at sides of snout. Fore flippers squared off; third digit longer than others. Female slightly larger than male. 6'11"-7'11" (2.1-2.4 m).… read more
Variable: grayish to almost black above, somewhat paler below. Male usually dark with lighter splotches; female light with dark splotches. Head squarish; snout long; nostrils form W shape. Male has wrinkled neck. Male to 9' 10" (3 m), female to 7' 7" (2.3 m).… read more
Male dark brown with creamy white rings around neck, rump, and base of front flippers. Female gray, with less-distinct rings. Male larger than female. To 6' (180 cm) long.… read more
Both sexes have large snout. Snout droops over muzzle in adult male; when inflated during mating season, curves down, can reach back into mouth. Body brown or gray, lighter below. Hind flippers have 2 lobes, small claws. Male to 13' (4 m), female to 10' (3 m).… read more
Two main types: whitish, yellowish-gray, or brownish with dark spots; or black, gray, or brown with light rings. Spotted white below. Sometimes colored with rusty or green cast. Nostrils V-shaped. Male 4' 7"-6' 2" (1.4-1.9 m), female 3' 11"-5' 7" (1.2-1.7 m).… read more
Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus
Mottled gray. Baleen plates short; yellowish-white bristles. Head triangular, slopes steeply downward from blowholes; mouth curves upward; 2-5 throat grooves. Back has low hump two-thirds of way from snout tip to flukes, then serrated ridge. To 46' (14 m).… read more
Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Dark gray to black above; belly and underside of flippers white; diagonal white band on flippers. Baleen plates yellow-white, sometimes dark in rear. Snout flat, triangular, mid-dorsal ridge; blowholes on top of head. Dorsal fin tall, curved. To 33' (10 m).… read more
Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus
Light bluish-gray above, mottled with grayish; belly sometimes yellowish. Baleen plates black. Snout broad, flat, nearly U-shaped; mid-dorsal ridge; blowholes on top of head. Dorsal fin extremely small, far back on tail stock. Blow high, oval. To 98' (30 m).… read more
Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus
To 79' (24.1 m). Fusiform, tapering posteriorly; blue-black above, undersides white. Grayish-white chevron behind head. Right lower lip, including mouth cavity, yellowish white, right upper lip occasionally also white, left lips dark.… read more
Mostly black; flippers white; baleen plates black. Fleshy knobs on head; rounded knob on tip of lower jaw. Flippers very long, front edges scalloped. Dorsal fin small. Flukes white below, deeply notched, edges scalloped. Blow balloon-shaped. To 53' (16.2 m).… read more
Brown to blackish; mottled; white on chin and belly. Jaw highly arched, curves upward along side of head; bumps on head pale, largest in front of paired blowholes. No dorsal fin or ridge. Flukes broad, tips pointed, deep notch. Blow V-shaped. To 53' (16.2 m).… read more
Variable; back black or brownish black; chest and belly cream to white. Distinct tan hourglass pattern on sides. Beak well-defined, moderately long, often dark with white tip. Dorsal fin usually black, lighter near middle, tip pointed. To 8'6" (2.6 m).… read more
Black; anchor-shaped gray patch on chin, gray on belly, sometimes light chevrons behind blowhole. Head thick, bulbous. Flippers relatively short, 1/6 body length. Dorsal fin low, long-based, far forward on back; may have gray saddle behind it. To 23' (7 m).… read more
Black; anchor-shaped grayish-white patchon chin, gray on belly; gray saddle behind dorsal fin in some large individuals. Head thick, bulbous. Flippers long, to 1/5 body length; dorsal fin low, long-based, set far forward on back. To 20' (6.1 m).… read more
Head tapers to short dark beak. Back black; belly white; light stripe on sides, widens into light patch on flank. Light gray zone on sides from forehead to dorsal fin. Dorsal fin tall, strongly curved, dark on forward third. Flukes dark. To 7'6" (2.3 m).… read more
Black, with variable white pattern below from chest to far back on tail, narrowing abruptly behind flippers; usually has white mark on lower jaw. Virtually no forehead or chin; beak indicated by faint crease above mouth. No dorsal fin or ridge. To 10' (3 m).… read more
Black, with white, tan, or yellow below, extending onto sides behind dorsal fin; white oval just above eye; usually light-gray saddle behind dorsal fin; flukes usually white below. Head broad, rounded; teeth large, pointed. Dorsal fin tall. To 31' (9.4 m).… read more
Dark gray above; sides lighter gray with black stripes; 1 or 2 stripes from eye to flipper, 1 from eye to anus. Beak black; black patch from beak to eye. Dark cape on back, with light blaze extending toward dorsal fin. Throat and belly white. To 9' (2.7 m).… read more
Back dark gray, fading to lighter gray on sides and belly; dark areas have light spots, light areas have dark spots. Beak distinct, fairly long, lips white or pinkish. Broad black stripe from corner of mouth to flipper. Dorsal fin dark gray. To 7' (2.1 m).… read more
Back dark gray, sides lighter gray, shading to pink or white on belly; distinct dark cape often on head and back. Beak well defined, fairly short; groove between forehead and snout. Dorsal fin near center of back, broad-based, tip pointed. To 12' (3.7 m).… read more
Shiny black; large white oval on sides; sometimes faint dark spots below dorsal fin meeting at midriff; some individuals all black. Dorsal fin usually white above, black below. Forehead slopes steeply to short, poorly defined beak; mouth small. To 7' (2.1 m).… read more
To 69' (21 m). Head huge, one-quarter to one-third length; dark brownish gray, skin appears corrugated or shriveled; sometimes belly and front of head grayish and mouth area white. Snout blunt, squarish, projects far beyond lower jaw tip.… read more
Manatee Trichechus manatus
Massive, torpedo-shaped, nearly hairless. Grayish. Tail broad, flattened, paddle- shaped. Broad head; upper lip deeply cleft, with stiff bristles. Front legs like large flippers. No hindlegs or external ears. 9' 10"-13' (4 m).… read more
|