Very few kinds of warm-blooded animal have
taken to living in the water. Some live in a very small area such as a
river. Others wander about the earth. Here is a complete list of all water
mammals. Those visiting NZ or living here are marked in red.
A complete classification of the world's seals,
dolphins, porpoises and whales. Those common to New Zealand have been marked
in red. The only endemic species that occurs nowhere else in the world
is Hector's Dolphin.
Cllorhinus - Pribilof or Alaskan Fur Seal
Callorhinus ursinus
Arctocephalus - Australian Fur Seal A.
doriferus, Guadalupe Fur Seal A. philippi, South American Fur
Seal A. australis, South African Fur Seal A. pusillus, Kerguelen
Fur Seal A. tropicalis, Tasmanian Fur Seal A. tasmanicus,New
Zealand Fur Seal A. forsteri,
Family Odobenidae (walrus).
Odobenus - O. rosmarus rosmarus Atlantic
Walrus, O. rosmarus divergens Pacific Walrus
Family Phocidae (earless seals
and elephant seals).
Subfamily Phocinae (northern seals).
Erignathus - Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus
Halichoerus Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus
Phoca - Common or Harbour Seal Phoca vitulina,
Pusa - Ringed Seal Pusa hispida,
Baikal Seal Pusa sibirica, Caspian Seal Pusa caspica
Pagophilus - Greenland or Harp Seal Pagophilus
Groenlandicus
Histriophoca - Ribbon or Banded Seal Histriophoca
fasciata
Subfamily Lobodontinae
Lobodon - Crabeater Seal Lobodon carcinophagus
Leptonychotes - Weddell
Seal Leptonychotes weddelli
Hydrurga - Hydrurga
leptonyx Leopard Seal
Ommatophoca - Ross
Seal Ommatophoca rossi
Subfamily Monachinae (southern seals).
Monachus - Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus
monachus , West Indian Monk Seal Monachus schauinslandi