List of marine mammals of Australia facts for kids
Australia is home to many amazing animals, and some of the most fascinating live in its oceans! This article is a list of the incredible marine mammals you can find swimming in Australian waters. Marine mammals are animals like whales, dolphins, and seals that live in the sea but breathe air, are warm-blooded, and give birth to live young, just like land mammals.
Scientists use a system called the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to check how many of these animals are left. This helps us know which ones need extra protection. Some marine mammals are doing well, but others are in danger and need our help to keep their populations healthy.
Whales and Dolphins (Cetacea)
Cetaceans are a group of marine mammals that includes all whales, dolphins, and porpoises. They are fully adapted to life in the water, meaning they can't survive on land.
Baleen Whales (Balaenidae)
These whales are known as "right whales." They have long baleen plates in their mouths instead of teeth, which they use to filter tiny food from the water.
- Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis
Rorquals (Balaenopteridae)
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales. They have throat pleats that expand like an accordion when they feed, allowing them to take in huge amounts of water and food.
- Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
- Southern minke whale, Balaenoptera bonaerensis
- Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis
- Pygmy Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni
- Omura's whale, Balaenoptera omurai
- Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus (This is the largest animal on Earth!)
- Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
- Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae (Famous for their amazing songs and acrobatic jumps!)
Oceanic Dolphins (Delphinidae)
This family includes many of the dolphins and some of the smaller whales you might know. They are usually very social and intelligent animals.
- Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
- Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuata
- Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
- Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
- Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
- Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei
- Hourglass dolphin, Sagmatias cruciger
- Dusky dolphin, Sagmatias obscurus
- Southern right whale dolphin, Lissodelphis peronii
- Irrawaddy dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris
- Australian snubfin dolphin, Orcaella heinsohni
- Orca (killer whale), Orcinus orca (The largest dolphin species, known for being powerful hunters!)
- Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra
- False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens
- Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis
- Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata
- Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
- Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris (Known for their amazing spinning jumps out of the water!)
- Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis
- Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus
- Burrunan dolphin, Tursiops australis
- Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus (Often seen close to shore and in popular culture.)
Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales (Kogiidae)
These are smaller relatives of the mighty sperm whale. They are quite shy and not often seen.
- Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps
- Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia simus
Pygmy Right Whale (Neobalaenidae)
This is a unique and mysterious whale, the smallest of the baleen whales.
- Pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata
Porpoises (Phocoenidae)
Porpoises are similar to dolphins but usually smaller, with a more rounded head and spade-shaped teeth.
- Spectacled porpoise, Phocoena dioptrica
Sperm Whales (Physeteridae)
This family includes the largest toothed whale, famous for its huge head and deep diving abilities.
- Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus (The largest predator with teeth on Earth!)
Beaked Whales (Ziphiidae)
Beaked whales are deep-diving, mysterious whales that are rarely seen at the surface. They have a distinctive beak-like snout.
- Arnoux's beaked whale, Berardius arnuxii
- Southern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon planifrons
- Longman's beaked whale, Indopacetus pacificus
- Andrews' beaked whale, Mesoplodon bowdoini
- Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris
- Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, Mesoplodon ginkgodens
- Gray's beaked whale, Mesoplodon grayi
- Hector's beaked whale, Mesoplodon hectori
- Strap-toothed whale, Mesoplodon layardii
- True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus
- Shepherd's beaked whale, Tasmacetus shepherdi
- Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris
Dugongs (Sirenia)
Sirenians are gentle, plant-eating marine mammals. They are often called "sea cows" because they graze on seagrass.
- Dugong, Dugong dugon (The only plant-eating marine mammal found in Australia!)
Seals and Sea Lions (Carnivora)
This group includes seals and sea lions, which are marine mammals that spend time both in the water and on land. They are carnivores, meaning they eat meat, mostly fish.
Pinnipeds
Pinnipeds are a group of fin-footed marine mammals. They are excellent swimmers but can also move on land.
Eared Seals (Otariidae)
Eared seals include sea lions and fur seals. They have visible ear flaps and can rotate their hind flippers forward, allowing them to "walk" on land.
- Australian fur seal, Arctocephalus pusillus
- New Zealand fur seal, Arctocephalus forsteri
- Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella
- Subantarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus tropicalis
- Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea
- New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri
True Seals (Phocidae)
True seals, also called earless seals, do not have external ear flaps and cannot rotate their hind flippers forward. They move on land by wriggling their bodies.
- Leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx (A powerful predator of the Antarctic!)
- Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii
- Crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophaga
- Southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (The largest seal in the world!)
- Ross seal, Ommatophoca rossii
See also
