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- Seals are pinnipeds, a group of animals with three separate families—phocidae (eared seals), otaridae (non-eared seals), and odobenidae (walruses)—that are the only mammals that feed in the water and breed on land. Where do they come from? Evidence suggests that pinnipeds evolved from a bear-like land animal that hunted in the water for food.
www.whoi.edu/know-your-ocean/ocean-topics/ocean-life/marine-mammals/seals/
Seals are pinnipeds, a group of animals with three separate families—phocidae (eared seals), otaridae (non-eared seals), and odobenidae (walruses)—that are the only mammals that feed in the water and breed on land. Where do they come from? Evidence suggests that pinnipeds evolved from a bear-like land animal that hunted in the water for food.
- They Have Been Around For A Long time.
- There Are Three Different Major Types of pinnipeds.
- They Have Whiskers They Use Like Cats do.
- They Can Go For Long Periods of Time Without eating.
- It’S Okay For Them to Dry out.
- They Get All of Their Water Through The Foods They Eat.
- Some Pinnipeds Move in A Caterpillar-Like Motion But Others “Walk."
- Some Pinniped Pups Can Weigh More Than 20 Pounds at Birth!
- Some Pinnipeds, Like The Northern Fur Seal, Can Outrun Humans on Slippery Rocks.
Fossil records indicate that the ancestors of modern seals first entered the ocean on the west coast, about 28–30 million years ago. Learn more fun facts about seals Learn more about seal ecology and assessment research in the Northwest Atlantic
“Phocid seals” are also called “true seals” and include several species such as harbor seals and gray seals. Phocid seals primarily use their back flippers to push themselves through the water (like rear-wheel drive) and do not have external ear flaps. “Otariid seals” are also called “eared seals” and include all the species of sea lions and fur se...
Seals and sea lions have many well-developed whiskers, much like cats. Like cats, they have a very acute sense of touch. Scientists think seals can use their whiskers to detect vibrations from swimming prey. Blind seals in the wild seem to be able to hunt and feed without sight.
A seal’s body stores enough fat in the blubber layer to allow the animal to go for extended periods of time without eating. In addition, most seals are opportunistic feeders—meaning they will eat whatever is available—consuming a variety of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Seals do not eat on land.
Seals and sea lions do not need to be wet constantly. They come out of the water to rest, molt, or care for their pups. Well-intentioned people who find seals on the beach and try to keep them wet are inadvertently harassing the animals, which is prohibited under federal laws and regulations. If you see a seal on the beach, give them space and let ...
Like all marine mammals, seals and sea lions get all the water they need from their food. Their bodies are very efficient at removing and recycling water from their food. They avoid drinking sea water; if a seal or sea lion drinks too much sea water it can become seriously sick. Arctic seals, which spend time on ice, may sometimes eat fresh water i...
For example, a harbor seal’s pelvic bones are fused, preventing them from moving their hind flippers under their pelvis to walk on land. Instead, they move by undulating in a caterpillar-like motion. This does not mean they are injured. Fur seals and sea lions can rotate their hind flippers under their body, which allows them to “walk” on land rath...
Harbor seal pups, one of the smaller species of seals, weigh about 24 pounds at birth and are ready to swim within minutes. They are nursed for 4 to 6 weeks on milk that is 50 percent fat. Northern elephant seal pups weigh 75 pounds at birth, for instance; grey seals weigh 35 pounds.
Northern fur seals have a stocky body, small head, very short snout, and extremely dense fur that ends at the wrist lines of their flippers. Their flippers are the longest in the fur seal family. Their hind flippers can measure up to one-fourth of their total body length. Their fore flippers are incredibly strong, allowing them to walk or run on al...
Some species spend the majority of their life in the ocean—female northern elephant seals spend 66 percent of their time in the open ocean. Despite looking similar, seals and sea lions propel themselves through the water in different ways. For the sea lion, swimming is all about the front flippers.
- Bearded Seal.
- California Sea Lion.
- Gray Seal.
- Guadalupe Fur Seal.
Sep 26, 2024 · Though especially abundant in polar seas, seals are found throughout the world, with some species favouring the open ocean and others inhabiting coastal waters or spending time on islands, shores, or ice floes. The coastal species are generally sedentary, but the oceangoing species make extended, regular migrations.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Sep 25, 2020 · Common seals can be found around the coastal water of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Despite their name, they’re actually rarer than the grey seals that often call the waters of the UK their home.
Nearly all seal species are reliant on marine habitats, though some will enter estuaries and rivers in search of food. An outlier is the Baikal seal, which spends its whole life in Lake Baikal,...
