Marine mammals are amazing animals found in ecosystems around the world. These mammals have unique physical adaptations that allow them to survive in environments with extreme temperatures and depths. In addition, we can classify them into four different categories: cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), pinnipeds (sea lions, seals and walruses), sirenians (manatees and dugongs) and marine physipedes (polar bears and sea otters).
For a species to be considered a marine mammal it must meet a series of characteristics . For one thing, they have to breathe air through their lungs, be warm-blooded, and have fur at least at some point in their life. Similarly, they must produce milk to nurse their young and live most of their lives in the ocean or close enough.
Types of marine mammals
Cetaceans can be classified into two main groups: baleen whales (mysticetes) and toothed whales (odontocetes). They spend their entire lives in the water, so they have a completely aquatic lifestyle. Currently there are more than 70 different species of cetaceans.
On the other hand, pinnipeds spend most of their lives swimming or eating in the water. These carnivorous animals use their fins to move both in water and on land. In addition, they often search the land or icebergs to give birth to their young, rest, shed their fur or hide from predators.
Like cetaceans, sirenians spend their entire lives in the sea. Furthermore, they are the only fully herbivorous marine mammals. These animals, which are physically similar to seals and walruses, are actually related to elephants. They are large, heavy, and tend to move slowly along the shoreline.
Fisipeds, unlike other marine mammals, usually spend most of their time on land and only a small part of their time in the water, especially to hunt for food (baby seals or reindeer).
Main threats
The main threats to marine mammals come from human activity. Destruction of their habitats, poaching, pollution of the oceans and collisions with ships are some of the challenges they face.
Therefore, the best way to protect them is by taking care of our seas and avoiding interacting with them if we ever have the opportunity to see them.
