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Whales, Dolphins, Fish, Sharks, Turtles and Other Marine Life"One of best wildlife spectacles in the world is the whale and dolphin show off the coast of New England." Emmalee Tarry |
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Check list of some of the marine animals seen off the coast of New England. Printer Friendly
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Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
Common and the best whale for watching because it spends a good deal of time on the surface. |
| Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus |
Common |
| Minke Whale Balaenopter acutorostrata |
Common |
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Blue Whale |
North Atlantic population small and endangered and mostly further north. One seen on pelagic trip to Cashes Ledge. Two small seen on recent offshore pelagic. |
| Northern Right Whale Eubalaena glacialis |
Critically endangered. Seen in migration |
| Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus |
Offshore, regular. A toothed whale |
| Pilot Whale Globicephala melaena |
Not usually on Stellwagen Bank until late fall. A toothed whale. |
| Cuvier's Beaked Whale | Off shore trips to the continental shelf edge. A toothed whale. |
| Harbor Porpoise Phocoena phocoena |
Common in the Gulf of Maine, but not a boat followers and not usually seen from whale watching boats. Appears only briefly on the surface and then swims away underwater. |
| Atlantic White-sided Dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus | Common but not seen on every trip. Rides bow-waves. Look for gray above and behind the eye with white oval area on side. |
| Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis |
Common on offshore trips. Not usually seen on Stellwagen Bank. Rides bow-waves. Yellow above and behind the eye. |
| Bottle-nosed Dolphin | Common on offshore trips. Not usually seen on Stellwagen Bank |
| Risso's Dolphin | Offshore not on Stellwagon Bank |
| Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina |
Very common usually close to land. At low tide rest on rocks in Merrimack River. More common Oct - May. Recovering from persecution. |
| Gray Seal Halichoerus grypus |
More and more Gray Seals are appearing in our waters. Isle of Shoals, NH |
| Basking Shark Cetorrhinus maimus |
More common on offshore trips. Sometimes on Stellwagen Bank. Large planton eating shark. Shows a large and small dark fin on the surface. |
| Ocean Sunfish Mola mola |
Summer especially August. Only shows a single dark fin on the surface. |
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Leatherback Turtle Dermochelys coriacea |
Seen only on trips to the continental shelf edge. |
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Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta |
Seen only on trips to the continental shelf edge. |
| Portuguese Man 'o War Physalia physalis |
Seen only in warm water usually indicating you have encountered a core of Gulf Stream Water . |