Those of you who live on the coast and get your television through directv north carolina services or the like have probably seen these creatures and know of their plight. All-too often we hear about it on the news, how some unsuspecting boater inadvertently injured or killed a floating manatee with their boat or, worse, those who go out and take advantage of the docile nature of these floating herbivores and bring harm to these creatures for absolutely no reason.

The fact of the matter is that manatees are in danger and they need to be helped. Areas where they are known to swim have been marked to prevent boating but it’s not enough. Real efforts need to be made to recognize these beautiful creatures and their right to live, otherwise there may not be any left.

One of the most popular legends about the horned narwhale is how the animal developed its tusk. According to Inuit lore, a woman with long, braided hair lanced a narwhale with a harpoon tied to her waist. The woman was dragged into the water where she was magically transformed into a narwhale herself, her long hair turning into the characteristic tusk. Narwhales also encouraged another popular legend when their tusks were found and mistaken for the horns of unicorns.

The narwhale is a beautiful animal whose unique tusk makes it one of the ocean’s most majestic looking creatures. Although not on the endangered species list, it’s still important that we respect their environment. Who knows, if you’re ever near the chilly arctic waters of Canada or Greenland, you just might see one of these truly unique unicorns of the sea yourself.

The ‘right’ whale gets its name from the booming whaling industry of the 1800′s. The whales were considered ‘right’ for hunting because they are slow moving, provide ample blubber, and spend a lot of time near the water surface. Therefore, the whale population has been decreased to almost nothing.

It is hypothesized that during peak whaling times, right whales were most prominent off the coasts of Britain and Ireland, but the populations moved west in order to survive. Each year mother right whales migrate to the eastern coast of Georgia to northern Florida to give birth.

Other whales living in the North Atlantic Ocean include the beluga whale, the grey whale, blue whales, killer whales and humpback whales. Blue whales are deemed as being the largest animal to exist on earth. Weighing in at around 160 metrics tons, and measuring at almost 100 feet, blue whales are said to be the largest animals that have ever lived on earth.

The diet of most dolphins consists of different types of fish and squid. Also included in some diets is plankton. Dolphins consume from 15 -30 pounds of food daily and some species eat up to 100 pounds a day.

The gestation period for most dolphin species are 12 to 14 months. The life span varies but some species have been known to live as long as 65 to 100 years.

Many dolphin species travel in their own groups. Some species can be found in groups of one to four and some species can be found in groups as large as fifty dolphins. For many species, it has been difficult to get an accurate count of how many there are of each type. Some species are becoming endangered and others there are an abundant amount in different areas.

Polar Bears are highly dependent on sea ice as they require it for hunting. Reduced sea ice can limit their hunting range and the duration of their hunting season which in turn reduces energy stores and impacts reproductive rates.

While sea ice is necessary for all seal species, some of them are more dependent on it than others. Seals use ice for breeding, raising pups, resting, and as a hunting platform.

Whales are also impacted by sea-ice changes. The areas around sea ice are nutrient rich and highly productive and support the plankton, fish, and other species which from the base of the food chain that whales and other species rely upon.

There are some legal protections for individual species such as the polar bear, who is on the endangered species list, but ultimately shrinking ice is an ecosystem impacting event and more needs to be done.