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Marine mammals are animals that spend the majority of their lives in or near the sea. Animals like dolphins, whales, seals, manatees, sea otters, and polar bears are considered marine mammals.
 

Whales

  
The whale  has a striking skin combination: the primary colour is black, but there is the addition of a grey 'saddle' behind the dorsal, and a brilliant white that covers three areas. Working back from the head, the first of these is the almost elliptical patch behind each eye. The second is on the underside of the jaw, extending back along the throat and belly to the flanks and vent area, where it forms a shape similar to the three prongs of a fork, two reaching up along the flanks while the third covers the vent area.  In males, the dorsal fin can reach up to 1.8m in height, and reaches straight up into the air, shaped rather like a triangle. In females the fin is smaller, about half the size, and more curved. The head is rounded, with an indistinct beak, inside of which are 10-12 pairs of large teeth in both the upper and lower jaws. This stocky species reaches a maximum length of 9.75m for males and 8.53m for females. The maximum body weights are 10.5 tonnes and 7.4 tonnes respectively.
   

Seals

Spotted seals are wary and hard to get close to.  Adult spotted seals are silvery-gray with dark grey on the back and covered with brown to black irregular spots.  Pups are born with a white coat but molt to the adult colors after 3 or 4 months.  It is believed they winter in the bering sea.  Following the ice front, they travel north in the spring and summer.  The then reverse the process and follow the developing ice south in the fall.  Spotted seals may get to be 270 pounds, but males and females average 180 to 240 pounds.  Length of grown seals is between 4.5 and 5.5 feet.  Newborn pups weigh 18 to 26 pounds (8 to 12 kg) and average about 33 inches (84 cm) long. The life span of spotted seals is believed to be up to 35 years. Spotted seals experience little predation. However, the predators of the spotted seal include the polar bear, sharks, Steller sea lions, brown bears, humans and walrus. Wolves, foxes and large birds have been known to feed on pups.
 

Polar Bears

  
Polar Bears can found in all of the polar regions of the entire northern hemisphere. This includes Russia, Norway, Greenland, the United States and Canada. Their preferred habitat is in the area where the northern seas meet the shoreline. It is also the preferred habitat of their favorite prey, the seal.  There are many different types of Polar Bears, about 6-7, depending on who you ask. Their differences stem from the fact that the different types grow up in different regions, including central Siberia; Greenland; northern Alaska; western Alaska; and the Hudson Bay. These groupings have developed as a result of separate ice movement patterns. They are most at home out on the ice following the leads of temporary open water or hunting near the polynyas, which are larger bodies of water which stay ice free throughout the winter. Polar Bears are able to swim distances greater than 96 kilometers (60 miles) without a pause to rest. Using their forepaws for propulsion and their rear paws as rudders, they can maintain an average swimming speed of approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) per hour.

Photos Courtesy of NOAA