Northern Elephant Seal - Mirounga angustirostris (Ano Nuevo State Park)
California Sea-lion - Zalophus californianus (Moss Landing)
Sea Otter - Enhydra lutris (Moss Landing)
A very few marine mammals like the Harbor Seal can actually be seen in the Bay. It is the last resident marine mammal species in San Francisco Bay, breeding and feeding year-round in its waters. California Sea-Lions can easily be seen at the waterfront in San Francisco. Harbor Porpoises have recently been sighted under the Golden Gate.
The rest of them are found along the coast. Some require boat trips because they never come close to land. A special whale-watching page has been compiled for more information on marine mammals ...more .
Here are some commonly seen marine mammals. Some like Sea-lions, Seals and Otters can be seen from the shore, while Dophins and Whales are best seen by taking a boat trip on the ocean.
Harbor Porpoises' Remarkable Return, by Anne Bolen, 27 Jan. 2014, National Wildlife Federation. Good details about the Harbor Porpoises in the Bay.
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The Porpoise driven life, by Nikki Silverstein, Pacific Sun, 21 Feb. 2013. Detailed article about the study of Harbor Porpoises in San Francisco Bay.
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Safe Harbor - Welcoming Porpoises Back to San Francisco Bay by Bill Keener - in depth article about Harbor Porpoises near the Golden Gate.
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Hybrid Dolphin in the Making, 8 June 2011. Blog post from Blue Ocean Whale Watch about interesting dolphin behavior of Risso's Dolphin and Pacific White-sided Dolphin.
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Minke Whales in San Francisco Bay Area Waters, a resource briefing from the National Park Service, July 2010
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Video of Baird's Beaked Whales in Monterey Bay, October 2002 by Leslie Lieurance
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Status of pinnipeds in the Bay area - monitoring project of the National Park Service
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Northern Sea-lion by Point Reyes National Seashore Association
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Elephant Seals Battle for Love With Mating Songs and Bravado by Lauren Sommer, KQED Science. Listen to the embedded recording with calls and informative narrative.
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Northern Elephant Seals at Point Reyes, a National Park Service publication
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Fur Seals Making a Comeback on the Farallones, Bay Citizen, 7 October, 2011
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Food habits of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) in San Francisco Bay, California, Masters Thesis by Corinne Michele Gibble, San Jose State University, 2011
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