This highly-readable textbook provides basic background information about marine mammals and anthropogenic impacts on them. The book includes inspiring exercises for education school programs in natural sciences. The book also provides advice on career paths using case studies of marine scientists and veterinarians describing their journeys from student to profession. By sharing real-life career paths, readers find answers to questions such as “What needs to be considered when choosing a career in science?” and “What kind of tasks do scientists undertake on a daily basis?”

Marine mammals are amongst some of the most celebrated creatures on Earth, with their high intelligence, social and communicating skills, and capacity for deep diving. Alongside general information about marine mammals, the book aims at generating awareness of the impact of litter and noise pollution on the marine environment using marine mammals as an example. Huge numbers of marine animals, including marine mammals, die every year from entanglement in fishing gear, by ingestion of litter or because of chemical pollution. 
In the last decade many technological and scientific tools have been developed to aid research, for instance miniaturised sound recorders which can be attached to cetaceans and seals and record noise levels around them, their vocal production as well as their diving behaviour. 


This Open Access textbook can be used by undergraduate students interested in the fundamentals of marine mammal biology and medicine, and in pursuing the profession of a marine scientist. .

1 Introduction 2 Marine mammals from the North and Baltic Seas 3 Adaptation to marine life 3.1 Anatomy 3.2 Whale skeleton 3.3 Diving physiology 4 Teaching materials Suggested reading Marine Mammal Acoustics 1 Introduction 2 The physics of sound 3 Hearing and sound production 4 Impact of noise pollution on marine mammals 5 Teaching materials Suggested reading Whaling, Seal Hunting and the Effect of Fisheries on Marine Mammals 1 Introduction 2 Bycatch 3 Seal-safe fishing gear and catch damage 4 Bycatch mitigation measures 5 Whaling and seal hunting 5.1 Whaling 5.2 Seal hunting 6 Teaching materials Suggested reading Plastic Debris and Its Impacts on Marine Mammals 1 Introduction 2 Plastics: A problem with many sources 3 Where does plastics end up, and what are the consequences for marine life? 4 Microplastics: Small particles with specific problems 5 Mitigation efforts: What can be done? 6 Teaching materials Suggested reading Chemical Pollution and Diseases of Marine Mammals 1 Introduction 2 The use of marine mammals as bioindicators 3 How harmful are pollutants? 4 Post-mortem examinations 5 Common diseases of marine mammals 6 Teaching materials Suggested reading How to Become a Marine Mammal Scientist 1 Introduction 2 Marine mammal career opportunities 2.1 Prerequisites learned in school 3 How to become a marine mammal scientist 3.1 How to become a marine biologist 3.2 How to become a veterinarian 3.3 How to become an engineer 3.4 How to become a mathematical biologist