![[Wild England! logo]](/sites/wildengland.com/files/wildengland_logo.gif)
Wild Animals
Sea Mammals
Sea mammals are some of the largest creatures in the world today. In fact, a whale (the Blue Whale) is the biggest creature that has ever lived in the world at any time (larger and heavier than the biggest dinosaur).
Around our coast we have a variety of sea mammals which include whales, dolphins and seals. We also have a species of porpoise. These sea mammals are very well-suited to their water environment and are all excellent swimmers. Their limbs are modified into flippers, paddles and/or flukes to help them move through the water.
Unlike fish, which are cold-blooded, sea mammals are warm-blooded. This means they need a thick insulation of bubber, which is fat under the skin, to keep out the cold of the deep open sea where they often hunt for food. This blubber makes them have a rounded look, which is not seen in fish.
In our A-Z we have described three whales (Killer Whale, Northern Minke Whale, Long-finned Pilot Whale), two dolphins (the Common Dolphin and the Bottle-nosed Dolphin); two seals (the Common Seal and the Grey Seal) as well as the Harbour Porpoise.
