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Sep 26, 2024 · seal, any of 32 species of web-footed aquatic mammal s that live chiefly in cold seas and whose body shape, round at the middle and tapered at the ends, is adapted to swift and graceful swimming. There are two types of seals: the earless, or true, seals (family Phocidae); and the eared seals (family Otariidae), which comprise the sea lion s and ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Seals are semi-aquatic mammals, having adapted to life in the ocean. The bodies of true seals and walruses are shaped like a torpedo, with physical features like ears internalized and short flippers, which allows them to reach high speeds underwater, while that of a sea lion is more maneuverable and allows for better mobility on land due to larger fore flippers.
- Mammalia
- Chordata
- Carnivora
Diet: Carnivore. Average Life Span In The Wild: Up to 30 years. Size: 3 feet to 20 feet long. Weight: 100 pounds to 4.4 tons. There are 33 species of pinnipeds alive today, most of which are known ...
Aug 7, 2014 · There are 18 species of true seals, according to Seals World. The largest is the southern elephant seal . Males are massive, weighing up to 8,500 lbs. (3,855.5 kilograms).
- Size and Weight: True seals range in size from the 3 feet and 100 pounds Baikal seal to the 16 feet and 7,100 pounds southern elephant seal male. The southern elephant seal male is not only the largest seal species but is also the largest member of the order Carnivora.
- Appearance: Seal appearance varies among the species. However, all species have feet-shaped fins, allowing for these species to be expert swimmers. Most species have thick layers of fat, also known as blubber, to keep the animals warm in cold oceans, in addition to dense fur.
- Diet: Seals are opportunistic carnivores, eating mainly fish while in the water.
- Habitat: All pinniped species are considered semi-aquatic marine mammals that spend some of their time at sea and the other part of their lives on land or sea ice.
Seals are divided into two families, the Phocidae, which includes the earless or'true'seals and the Otariidae, the eared seals (aka sea lions, furred seals). Sub-species of Seals: There are 32/33 species of seals. True Seals. Baikal Seal - Phoca sibirica. Bearded Seal - Erignathus barbatus. Caribbean Monk Seal - Monachus tropicalis.
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Seal and sea lions, however, are staples in aquariums and zoos. Thirty-two species of sea lion and seals have been held in captivity with the first captive seals dating back to the Roman Empire. During the height of the Empire, Mediterranean monk seals were included in the elaborate parades and celebratory animal slaughtering in the Colosseum.
