Marine mammal | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_...
00:03:10 1 Taxonomy
00:03:20 1.1 Classification of extant species
00:05:28 1.2 Evolution
00:11:20 2 Distribution and habitat
00:15:44 3 Adaptations
00:20:07 4 Ecology
00:20:17 4.1 Diet
00:26:16 4.2 Keystone species
00:30:37 4.3 Whale pump
00:33:11 5 Interactions with humans
00:33:21 5.1 Threats
00:33:30 5.1.1 Exploitation
00:38:46 5.1.2 Ocean traffic and fisheries
00:42:26 5.1.3 Habitat loss and degradation
00:47:04 5.2 Protection
00:52:08 5.3 As food
00:55:26 5.4 In captivity
00:55:35 5.4.1 Aquariums
01:01:56 5.4.2 Military
01:04:56 6 See also
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SUMMARY
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Marine mammals are aquatic mammals that rely on the ocean and other marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as seals, whales, manatees, sea otters and polar bears. They do not represent a distinct taxon or systematic grouping, but rather have a polyphyletic relation due to convergent evolution, as in they do not have an immediate common ancestor. They are also unified by their reliance on the marine environment for feeding.
Marine mammal adaptation to an aquatic lifestyle varies considerably between species. Both cetaceans and sirenians are fully aquatic and therefore are obligate water dwellers. Seals and sea-lions are semiaquatic; they spend the majority of their time in the water but need to return to land for important activities such as mating, breeding and molting. In contrast, both otters and the polar bear are much less adapted to aquatic living. Their diet varies considerably as well; some may eat zooplankton, others may eat fish, squid, shellfish, sea-grass and a few may eat other mammals. While the number of marine mammals is small compared to those found on land, their roles in various ecosystems are large, especially concerning the maintenance of marine ecosystems, through processes including the regulation of prey populations. This role in maintaining ecosystems makes them of particular concern as 23% of marine mammal species are currently threatened.
Marine mammals were first hunted by aboriginal peoples for food and other resources. Many were also the target for commercial industry, leading to a sharp decline in all populations of exploited species, such as whales and seals. Commercial hunting led to the extinction of Steller's sea cow, sea mink, Japanese sea lion and the Caribbean monk seal. After commercial hunting ended, some species, such as the gray whale and northern elephant seal, have rebounded in numbers; conversely, other species, such as the North Atlantic right whale, are critically endangered. Other than hunting, marine mammals can be killed as bycatch from fisheries, where they become entangled in fixed netting and drown or starve. Increased ocean traffic causes collisions between fast ocean vessels and large marine mammals. Habitat degradation also threatens marine mammals and their ability to find and catch food. Noise pollution, for example, may adversely affect echolocating mammals, and the ongoing effects of global warming degrade Arctic environments.