"The Cetaceans"

General Cetacean Sites | Whales | Dolphins & Toothed Whales

General Cetacean Sites

How do whales and dolphins sleep without drowning?
Bruce Hecker, director of husbandry at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, S.C., and the Scientific American provide an answer.

Order Cetacea
Information on the Cetaceans - mammals that live, breed, rest, and carry out all of their life functions in the water - from the Animal Diversity Web. Links to species information by family.

Order Cetacea
The University of Aberdeen's introduction to the order of cetaceans, with brief descriptions of the two sub-orders and the many families.

Order Cetacea: Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises
An introduction to the Cetaceans with detailed factsheets on each individual species, from the Mammals of Texas Online Edition.

Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises
Numerous links to information about whales, dolphins and porpoises from Nearctica.com.

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Whales

General Whale Sites | Whale Families

General Whale Sites

A Look at Whales
This companion website to the Imax film "A Look at Whales" from the National Wildlife Federation, Destination Cinema and Zephyr Productions, includes general characteristics of whales and an introduction to whale species.

Baleen Whales
What you should know about baleen whales, from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

Baleen Whales
Scientific classification, habitat and distribution, physical characteristics, senses, adaptations for an aquatic environment, behavior, diet and eating habits, reproduction, birth and care of young, communication and echolocation, longevity and causes of death, and more from Seaworld/Busch Gardens.

Secrets of the Ocean Realm - Sea Dwellers - The Great Whales
Habitat and natural history facts on the Gray, Southern Right, Humpback and Sperm whales.

Whale
Encarta's online reference article on whales. Topics include types of whales, anatomy, feeding habits, reproduction, intelligence and behavior, origins, whaling and conservation.

Whale Parts
Diagrams of Baleen and Toothed Whales from the American Cetacean Society.

Zoom Whales: All About Whales!
Whale information sheets, whale print-outs, whale anatomy and behavior, whale classification and more from EnchantedLearning.com.

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Whale Families

Bowhead and Right Whales | Gray Whales | Pygmy Right Whales | Rorquals (Blue Whales, Bryde's Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales & Sei Whales)

Bowhead and Right Whales

Right and Bowhead Whales (Balaenidae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on this family of large whales with huge heads that are found in most waters of the temperate and polar regions. Links to individual species included.

Bowhead Whales

Bowhead Whale
Status, description, habit and habitat, causes of decline, research and recovery, from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Conservation.

Bowhead Whale
Information includes distribution map, feeding, biology and behavior--reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research. An American Cetacean Society Fact Sheet.

Right Whales

Northern Right Whale
Status, description, habit and habitat, causes of decline, research and recovery, from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Conservation.

Black Right Whale, Eubalaena glacialis
Brief description and links to more facts and in-depth information about this whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

North Atlantic Right
Canada's New Brunswick province provides an introduction to the Northern and Southern Right Whales, slow, skimmer-feeders.

Northern Right Whales
Download this Sea Stats Publication - a life-history summary of the Right Whale, with information about age and growth, distribution and migration, and feeding habits, from the from Florida Marine Research Institute. Adobe Acrobat is required.

The Right Whale
Answers to many questions about the right whale, from The Journey North, A Global Study of Wildlife Migration, supported by the Annenberg/CPB and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Southern Right Whales, South Australia
History, behavior, biology and more on Southern Right Whales from National Parks and Wildlife, Government of Southern Australia.

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Gray Whales

Gray Whale (Eschrichtiidae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on this family which contains a single living species, the gray whale. These whales are restricted today to the north Pacific (along east and west coasts); Atlantic populations are extinct. Link to more detailed species information provided.

Detailed Information about Gray Whales
Answers to questions about gray whales from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

Gray Whale
Information includes distribution map, feeding, biology and behavior -reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research. An American Cetacean Society Fact Sheet.

Gray Whale, Eschrictius robustus
Brief description and links to more facts and in-depth information about this whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Gray Whales
General description, distribution and migration, abundance, food habits, reproduction and sources of mortality. From the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series.

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Pygmy Right Whales

Pygmy Right Whale (Neobalaenidae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on the small pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata), is found in the cold-temperate waters of the southern hemisphere. Link to more detailed species information provided.

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Rorquals

Blue Whales | Bryde's Whales | Fin Whales | Humpback Whales | Minke Whales | Sei Whales

Rorquals (Balaenopteridae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on the rorquals including the minke, Bryde's, sei, fin, humpback, and blue whales. These range in size from the relatively small minke whale to the giant blue whale. Links to individual species included.

Blue Whales

Blue Whale
General descriptions, distribution and migration, abundance, food habits, reproduction and sources of mortality, from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series.

Blue Whale
Information on the blue whale, including distribution maps, feeding, biology and behavior. This American Cetacean Society Fact Sheet has been reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research.

Blue Whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about the blue whale from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

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Bryde's Whales

Bryde's Whale
A brief introduction to Bryde's Whale from the Texas Parks and Wildlife, Nongame and Urban Program.

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Fin Whales

Fin Whale
Information on the Fin whale, including distribution maps, feeding, biology and behavior. This American Cetacean Society Fact Sheet has been reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research.

Fin Whale, Balaenoptera physalus
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about the Fin whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Finback (Balaenoptera physalus)
Canada's New Brunswick province provides an introduction to the Finback whale, the second largest animal after the Blue Whale.

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Humpback Whales

Detailed Information about Humpback Whales
Answers to questions about humpback whales from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

Humpback Whale
General descriptions, distribution and migration, abundance, food habits, reproduction and sources of mortality from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series.

Humpback Whale
Information on the Humpback whale, including distribution maps, feeding, biology and behavior. This American Cetacean Society Fact Sheet has been reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research.

Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaengliae
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about the Humpback whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

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Minke Whales

Minke Whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about the Minke whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Canada's New Brunswick province provides an introduction to the Minke whale, the smallest of the rorquals.

Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Description, distribution, reproduction, ecology and behavior of Minke whales in brief, from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Minke Whale Fact File
A detailed look at the Minke whale from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

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Sei Whales

Sei Whale, Balaenoptera borealis
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about the Sei whale from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Sei Whale
Description, distribution, reproduction, ecology and behavior of Sei whales in brief, from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

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Dolphins & Toothed Whales

General Dolphin & Toothed Whale Sites | Dolphins & Toothed Whale Families (Beaked Whales | Beluga & Narwhal | Dolphins, Melon-headed Whales, Orcas & Pilot Whales | Porpoises | River Dolphins | Sperm Whales)

General Dolphin & Toothed Whale Sites

Suborder Odontoceti (Toothed Whales)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on this large and diverse group of cetaceans that are usually small to medium sized (excluding the sperm whale) and have teeth, with links to the six families in the suborder

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Dolphins & Toothed Whale Families

Beaked Whales | Beluga & Narwhal | Dolphins, Melon-headed Whales, Orcas & Pilot Whales | Porpoises | River Dolphins | Sperm Whales

Beaked Whales

Beaked Whales (Ziphiidae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information the second largest family of cetaceans after the Delphinidae, with members are found in all oceans. Ziphiids are medium-sized whales with distinctive, long and narrow beaks. Individual species information provided.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about beaked whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

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Beluga and Narwhal

Beluga and Narwhal (Monodontidae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on the two medium-sized whale species of this family, which are found at high latitudes in the arctic seas and in most of the major rivers draining into them, south to the Saint Lawrence River. Individual species information provided.

Beluga Whales

Beluga Whale
General description, distribution and migration, abundance, food habits, reproduction and sources of mortality. From the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series.

Beluga Whales
Scientific classification, habitat and distribution, physical characteristics, senses, adaptations for an aquatic environment, behavior, diet and eating habits, reproduction, birth and care of young, communication and echolocation, longevity and causes of death, and more from Seaworld/Busch Gardens.

Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas)
Fascinating facts, and detailed answers to basic questions about the beluga from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory.

Narwhals

Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)
Basic introduction to what little is known about the Narwhal from EnchantedLearning.com.

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Dolphins, Melon-headed Whales, Orcas & Pilot Whales

Dolphins | Orcas | Pilot Whales

Delphinidae
General information about the largest family of the cetaceans including dolphins, killer whales, pilot whales and melon-headed whales, with links to specific species information from the Animal Diversity Web.

Dolphins

All About Dolphins
Research Biologist Dan O'Dell from the Sea World in Orlando, Florida, answers common questions about dolphins.

American Cetacean Society Fact Sheets
Information on dolphin species, including distribution maps, feeding, biology and behavior. Fact sheets have been reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research.

Bottlenose Dolphins
Scientific classification, habitat and distribution, physical characteristics, senses, adaptations for an aquatic environment, behavior, diet and eating habits, reproduction, birth and care of young, communication and echolocation, longevity and causes of death, and more from Seaworld/Busch Gardens.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about dolphin species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Detailed Information about Pacific Whitesided Dolphins
Answers to questions about Pacific Whitesided Dolphins from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

Dolphins
A detailed introduction to the dolphin with brief introductions to individual dolphin species, based on a curriculum written by Emily Gardner, M.S. for Earthtrust and the Hawaii State Department of Education.

What is a Dolphin?
Basic information about dolphins from Seaworld/Busch Gardens.

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Orcas (Killer Whales)

Orca
A general introduction to orcas, with further information (scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the links provided) about orca families, resident and transient orcas, and orca sounds, from OrcaLab, a permanent research base of University of British Columbia located on Hanson Island.

Aquafacts - British Columbia's Killer Whales Orcinus orca
Answers to basic questions about killer whales from the Vancouver Aquarium.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about dolphin species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

The Center for Whale Research: Orca Survey

Detailed Information about Killer Whales
Answers to questions about killer whales from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

Killer Whale: Orcinus orca
Status, description, size, population, life span, range, habitat, food, behavior, offspring, threats and protection information from the Defenders of Wildlife.

Killer Whales
Scientific classification, habitat and distribution, physical characteristics, senses, adaptations for an aquatic environment, behavior, diet and eating habits, reproduction, birth and care of young, longevity and causes of death, and more from Seaworld/Busch Gardens.

Orca
General description, distribution and migration, abundance, food habits, reproduction and sources of mortality. From the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series.

Orca (Orcinus orca)
Detailed information on Orcas from the International Fund for Animal Welfare Charitable Trust, UK.

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Pilot Whales

Porpoises

Porpoises (Phocoenidae)
The Animal Diversity Web's information on porpoises, found in the coastal waters of all oceans and seas of the northern hemisphere; along the coast of most of South America; and in some areas of southeastern Asia. They are also known from a few Asian rivers. Members of this family are relatively small, and have short jaws and no beak. Individual species information provided.

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about porpoise species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Detailed Information about Dall's Porpoise
Answers to questions about Dall's Porpoise from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) Fact File
Common name, scientific name, appearance, size, mortality, distribution, population, habitat, migration, feeding, motion, reproduction, social behavior, sound and conservation from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

Porpoise
Encarta's online reference article on the porpoise.

Porpoises
Species guide to the porpoises of the world, with detailed facts, from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

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River Dolphins

General

River Dolphin
Britannica.com's article on the river dolphins, with links to individual species.

River Dolphins
Detailed information about the five species of river dolphins from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Platanistidae
The Animal Diversity Web's information on the family of dolphins found in fresh-water rivers and coastal waters in Asia and South America. These dolphins are generally small, and have long, slender beaks and bulging foreheads. Individual species information provided.

Ganges and Indus River Dolphins

Ganges River Dolphin
Geographic range, physical characteristics, natural history, economic importance for humans, conservation and more from the Animal Diversity Web.

Chinese and La Plata River Dolphins

Detailed Information about La Plata Dolphins
Answers to questions about La Plata Dolphins from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, and NOAA.

La Plata River Dolphin
Quick facts about the La Plata dolphins that live off the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina in South America, from Pablo Bordino - the Director of AquaMarine in Argentina, and an Associated Researcher to the Marine Mammals Lab at the Argentinean Museum of Natural Sciences in Buenos Aires.

Amazon River Dolphins

About the Dolphins
Detailed answers to questions about the dolphins that live in the Amazon River Basin, from research biologist Tamara McGuire, the Fundacion Omacha, and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. Dolphin artwork by students at St. Theresa School, Oakland, California.

Pink and Gray River Dolphins
Social habits, size, habitat and distribution, reproduction, diet, coloration, intelligence and more on these friendly, sensitive mammals from the International Society for the Preservation of the Rain Forest.

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Sperm Whales

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Brief descriptions and links to more facts and in-depth information about whale species from the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture's Mammals of Washington.

Sperm Whale
Information includes distribution map, feeding, biology and behavior -reviewed for accuracy by experts in the fields of marine biology and marine mammal research. An American Cetacean Society Fact Sheet.

Sperm Whales: The Real Moby Dick
Sperm whale facts and an interview with whale researcher Jonathan Gordon, plus web links, books and print articles from Nature and PBS Online.

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Last Updated: October 20, 2008