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
Multimedia
Research
Killer Whale and Beaked Whale Posters
Art-Science Collaboration Celebrates the Diversity of Killer Whales and Beaked Whales from Around the World
2024 Northeast Experimental On-Demand Gear System Testing Underway
Watch for specially flagged vessels off Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Geographic Distribution of the Cross Seamount Beaked Whale Based on Acoustic Detections
The foraging behavior of Cross Seamount beaked whales appears to be unique among all beaked whales.
Identifying Social Clusters of Endangered Main Hawaiian Islands False Killer Whales
In this study, we used photo-identification data over a 23 year period to reassess the number and…
Understanding Marine Mammal Protections
Learn how NOAA Fisheries protects all marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.