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Apr 12, 2023 · There are 33 living seal species in three families, including true seals, eared seals, and walruses. Seals are marine mammals, distinguished by their fur, mammary glands, and ability to breathe oxygen.
Oct 12, 2017 · The size of seals ranges from 3 feet 3 inches for the Balkan seal to 16 feet for the southern elephant seal which ranks as the largest carnivoran. The streamlined bodies of seals feature four limbs which have been modified to function as flippers.
- Joyce Chepkemoi
- Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) The Harbor seal is a marine mammal found in the coastal waters of the northern hemisphere. They have streamlined bodies and dappled coats ranging from silver-gray to brown or black.
- Gray Seal (Halichoerus grypus) The North Atlantic is home to Gray Seals and large pinnipeds with snouts resembling horses. This is why they are also called Horsehead Seals.
- Harp Seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) Harp seals are a species found in the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. They have a distinctive black harp or wishbone-shaped pattern contrasting their silvery-gray fur.
- Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida) The Ringed Seal is the smallest of the Arctic seals, featuring dark spots surrounded by light rings on their fur. As the smallest seal in the Arctic, they weigh 110 to 150 pounds and measure up to 5 feet long.
According to the IUCN’s classifications, seven seal species are “Endangered” or “EN” including the Hawaiian fur seal, the Galapagos fur seal, and the Australian sea lion. Three are categorized as “Vulnerable” or “VU” – the northern fur seal, the hooded seal, and the walrus.
- Mammalia
- Chordata
- Carnivora
Across the globe there are 19 species of seal. Most are ocean dwellers, living in places spanning from the Arctic, to the tropics, to Antarctica. The Baikal seal, however, lives in a landlocked lake in the middle of Asia and is the only seal to live exclusively in fresh water.
Nov 24, 2023 · Seals are a group of marine mammals classified under the order Carnivora. There are various seal species, with approximately 32 recognized types, divided into two main families: Phocidae (true seals) and Otariidae (eared seals, including sea lions and fur seals).
Feb 3, 2019 · There are 32 species, or types, of seals on the planet. The largest is the southern elephant seal, which can weigh more than 2 tons (4,000 pounds) and the smallest is the Galapagos fur seal, which weighs, in comparison, a mere 65 pounds.
