Quiet and shy, harbor seals can be seen year-round resting on rocks just offshore. Sea Lions Smooth whiskers Ear Flaps Long hairless front flippers & 3 toenails ONLY on the hindflippers. We’ve probably always wondered what the difference is exactly between a seal and a sea lion, and it doesn’t help that the latter doesn’t have a mane around its neck to help with distinguishing the two in the Galapagos.Both animals do share one common characteristic: they are both pinnipeds, which means they both have fin-like feet along with a couple of other similar morphological traits. Thank you for this information. They can grow to over 1.5m (5 feet), and can weigh a healthy 36kg (80 pounds). Fur seals are placed here in a separate chapter. Although they spend most of the year feeding far offshore, elephant seals can be seen on beaches and islands when breeding, pupping or resting. The Australian fur seal lives and breeds in our area. In winter huge males with large elephant-like noses and long canine teeth engage in bloody battles to establish territories and harems of females. In and around Redwood National and State Parks, the most commonly seen eared seal is the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Monk seals, including the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, are also categorized as true seals. blubber. Females give birth soon after they arrive on beaches and nurse their pups for about a month. In spring they congregate on protected beaches and give birth to a single pup. Innie or outie? Most have sharp claws on their feet, and all except the sea otter have long, muscular tails. Seals and sea lions are semiaquatic mammals with flippers for feet. They are warm-blooded marine mammals that could live both in water and on land. wiggle onto land with stomach blubber. ( Log Out /  However, there are considerable differences between them and those are essential to understand in solving the confusions. bark. They return to land to give birth and nurse their young. Here are some tips to help you tell them apart. Mike Baird ! The seals are classified as earless pennipeds while the sea lions are classified as eared pennipeds. But only one of those will you see during an eco cruise with Jervis Bay Wild. Seals vs Sea Lions. But don’t … Both otters and seals also differ in many physical characteristics. Sea otters are smaller than seals and sea lions, have stubby front paws and rest by floating on their back. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Seals and sea lions share adaptations for living in the sea—including blubber, flippers, and streamlined bodies. Sea lions and seals live with dolphins and otters as sea lovers attracting people to beaches and aquariums. ( Log Out /  Sea lions and fur seals (members of the eared seal family) have visible ear flaps, while true seals only have ear holes. So how do we tell them apart? Usually found in or near kelp forests, sea otters dine on invertebrates such as snails, crabs, octopuses, urchins, and abalone, often using small rocks to crack open hard-shelled prey. Characteristics. Seals and sea lions: both cute, amazing animals that make their homes in our near the ocean. Though their bodies can appear chubby, seals are generally smaller and more aquadynamic than sea lions. Playful and loud, California sea lions pack together on rocks, jetties, docks or under wharves. Sea otters are smaller than seals and sea lions, have stubby front paws and rest by floating on their back. No? In addition sea lions have a loud bark and walk on their large rear flippers versus seals more wriggle on their belly and have smaller rear flippers. You can see them close to shore almost any time of year! These animals may be seen hauled out on off shore rocks, and occasionally on sandy beaches. More information on the response from NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries can be found on sanctuaries.noaa.gov/coronavirus/. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. sea otter = water weasel. short front flippers long, pointed nose (think balancing a ball at the circus) rounded faces with short curly whiskers • Identify the body parts and behaviors of a seal. Lacking blubber, they burn calories quickly and eat up to 25 percent of their body weight a day. So these six younger sea lions will be sent out into the ocean to collect data which will hopefully provide an answer. Difference between sea lion and seal is, sea lion is very different in shape. Once hunted nearly to extinction for their blubber, they've staged a remarkable comeback. Another seal that many people think of is the leopard seal. All three are cute-faced, chubby marine mammals that we imagine swirling gracefully through kelp beds and lazily basking in the sun. Seals and sea lions are both mammals. These marine animals have a similar body structure yet differ due to the additional features they possess such as guard hairs, type of claws, weight, size, and adaptive body parts. Females give birth to one pup, usually between January and March. the sea otter is a small furry animal just like a regular otter. do not bark hindflippers more adapted for walking on land, docks. 0 0. We were able to witness them during a kill of a seal and watch their many tail slaps and spy hops. They are mammals, which means that they have live young, produce milk, have hair (or fur) on their bodies, and breathe air. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The major difference of sea otter to other marine mammals is the heavy fur on them. Seals are quieter, vocalizing via soft grunts. Swim underwater by steering with hind flippers & powering with foreflippers like a bird. Pinnipeds, also known as fin-footed mammals are often generalized as seals. They are really a type of sea lion. In the water they may rest in "rafts" of many animals, with heads and flippers poking out to absorb heat. Fur seals and sea lions are also known as eared seals. 1 decade ago. Lv 4. Two species inhabit the sanctuary, the elephant seal and harbor seal. Sea-lions can also be seen on the way out to Bremer Canyon, where Orcas area also prevelant. To conclude, the article provides a comparison of the seal, sea lion, walrus, and otter with their qualities and the differences they hold from each other. When comparing a sea lion vs. It can also be seen that seals love fish which is one of their favorite foods. Seals have small flippers, wriggle on their bellies on land and lack visible ear flaps. Sea Lion Seal. Students find out by comparing sea otter and seal characteristics using a Venn diagram. Seals were tagged as earless since they do not have ear flaps. They also have an ability to walk on every type of floor. The sea lion has a … In addition, sea lions have a loud bark and walk on their large rear flippers versus seals more wriggle on their belly and have smaller rear flippers. visible earflaps. On the other hand, otters only eat fish rarely, and they mainly thrive upon invertebrates. Pinnipeds are classified under three families, eared seals, true seals and walruses. a sea lion is a large seal. This does not help the already confused general public distinguish between seals and sea lions. See more ideas about Otters, Animals beautiful, Cute animals. Unlike the otters, seals tend to spend a bit more time on land. Third, sea lions are noisy. What is the difference between sea lions & seals? use tools, which they store in armpit flaps, wrap themselves in kelp beds while sleeping, Pingback: Explore the Fishing Village of Morro Bay on the California Coast - guide2travel.ca, I’ve swam and kuyaked Morro Bay all of my life. (seals rest on land vs. otters wrap up in kelp, seals eat fish, otters use paws and tools to eat invertebrates) You may choose to read book s about seals and otters or share other information found on Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website. Change ). Sea otters and seals are in many ways different, but are also similar. Colonies are found on Drum and Drumsticks as well as Steamers Headland. Seals have stouter bodies without the same long "necks" as se lions, and their fins aren't suited for walking around on land the way sea lions are. Agile swimmers, they can “porpoise," or leap high out of water. Helped more than you know. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the best places in the world to see seals, sea lions and sea otters. Otters are known to mate in the sea and give birth in the sea. Go figure. seal, sea lion, or sea otter: how can you tell? Seals vs. Sea Lions. Their piercing bark can be heard from quite a distance. Although they feed in the sea, they surface for air. Mike Baird. Exactly how fast can seals and sea lions swim? 4 years ago. [Download a PDF file about the differences between harbor seals and sea lions… Sea otters rest by wrapping themselves in kelp to keep from drifting away. Otters have long, slim bodies and relatively short limbs, with webbed paws. They have long flippers and earflaps. While seals are small from sea lions. But seals and sea lions … Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Guest. How cool is that? Fast nocturnal predators, they hunt for a variety of fish, octopus and squid. Often curious, harbor seals will watch people walking along the shore or follow divers or kayakers in the water. Main Difference – Seal vs Sea Lion. Gray seals clock in at about 14-23 mph. NO layer of blubber. May 30, 2018. Very occasionally, they have been known to prey on northern fur seals, harbor seals and sea otterpups. Seals vs Sea Lions Both seals and sea lions, together with the walrus, are pinnipeds, which means “fin-footed” in Latin. Dec 1, 2012 - Explore Jessica McKee's board "Sea lions/seals/otters" on Pinterest. Anonymous. Chances are, we’ve seen them all at some point whether kayaking morro bay, cruising san simeon or diving the channel islands. Firstly, seals and sea lions have completely different ears. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. sea lion = a seal. Four species are commonly seen within the sanctuary. Seals vs. sea lions is a difficult topic to grasp, but this article aims to clearly illuminate the difference between these two aquatic beasts. Unlike other sea-lions, the species only breeds every 17-18 months, with Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island supporting the third largest colony of Australian Sea-lions with a population of around 1,000. Max. smallest marine mammal, but can get up to five feet long! Pinnipeds include the walrus, eared seals, sea lions, fur seals and earless seals. At the same time, their hind flippers angle backward and don't rotate. Fourth, while both species spend time both in and out of the water, seals are better adapted to live in the water than on land. Diving an average depth of 1,800 feet (600 meters), they feed on fishes and squid. Can you tell which is which? Seals have little holes on their head, and lacks a pinnae. they are lovable, yet they could get spikey. earholes. Northern elephant seal Harbor seal . This makes them fast in … sometimes you just gotta ditch the phone and enjoy the view, Explore the Fishing Village of Morro Bay on the California Coast - guide2travel.ca, On a related note, here's a great story from @, Everything is terrible except for this email I received today from a 14-year-old @. Two species inhabit the sanctuary, the elephant seal and harbor seal. Sea lions are brown, bark loudly, “walk" on land using their large flippers and have visible ear flaps. Transient Orcas, Sea Otter, Seals & Sea Lions. Students will be able to: • Identify the body parts and behaviors of a sea otter. 2 0. steelman. Meanwhile, in Singapore, a family of otters has a nemesis in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Seals, fur seals, sea lions and sea otters all belong to the same order Carnivora under the class Mammalia. The main difference between the two is that fur seals have a thicker coat that includes an undercoat. Steller Sea Lion vs Leopard Seal ~ Guest. Because Sea Otters spend so much time in cold waters, they have a very dense layer of fur as opposed to a thick blubber layer like whales, sea lions and seals. They then play a game to review similarities and differences between sea otters and seals. ALEX - Echidna (did you recognize a tender echidna is termed a 'puggle'? Seals lack an external ear flap whereas sea lions have an external ear flap that is visible. Sea Lion vs Seal . The name ‘pinniped’ means the ‘fin-footed,’ which reflects their ability to live on land and in water. Take another look at the top pictures and see if you guessed right, or if you can point out all the differences between a sea lion, sea otter, and seal. Mike Baird . Seals and sea lions are actually called fin-footed animals or pinnipedia. To keep their thick fur waterproof, they spend hours grooming. They are true marine mammals, spending almost their entire lives in the water, even giving birth while at sea. And it took this article to get me on track. Sea Lion and Seal are marine pinnipedian mammals with very close affinities and easy to confuse. When comparing a sea lion vs. seal you can spot the difference a few ways, one of which is the lack or presence of an ear. They are not "true seals," as they have visible ears like the sea lion and in fact belong to the same family. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Sea lions can reach speeds of 25-30 mph! They are both members of the order Pinnipedia, which means “feather footed.” Pinnipeds have a substantial system of nerves in their upper lips and … Many people confuse seals and sea lions as they share many similarities. NOAA's national marine sanctuary offices and visitor centers are closed to the public while the waters remain open for responsible use in accordance with CDC guidance and local regulations. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of the best places in the world to see seals, sea lions and sea otters. Southern sea otter California sea lion Robert Schwemmer . long front flippers. During the morning we headed east, just to the eastern side of Discovery Island to find some Transient orca. In fact, sea lions are the second cousins of seals. They are most easily seen at Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas. Confusion often arises over the classification of the fur seal. Their population has grown slowly over the years and is still threatened by oil spills, pollution and disease. Pups learn how to swim and dive on their own. They hunt offshore for fishes and squid. Objectives. One quick way to tell a sea lion from a seal is to look at its ears. Pups stay with their mothers for about six months. Sea otters were hunted to near-extinction for their fur in the 1700s and 1800s. 2. California sea lions breed south of here, mainly on offshore islands from Santa Barbara to Mexico. On one of our whale eco cruises or dolphin watch tours, you may be lucky enough to spot the local seals on your journey. The population of sea lions has increased greatly since 1972, when hunting of marine mammals was banned in the United States. Rotate their hind flippers under their bodies, enabling them to walk or even run on land. While walrus has flippers, tusks and whickers which make them different from other marine mammals. Two of the more common marine mammals on the west coast of North America are sea lions and seals. Seals have small flippers, wriggle on their bellies on land and lack visible ear flaps. Post Apr 15, 2013 #1 2013-04-15T19:51. They breed and also give birth on land. hindflippers more adapted for walking on land, docks, long, pointed nose (think balancing a ball at the circus), use hair for warmth, have as many hairs in one square inch as human’s entire body (up to 1 million per square inch!) Seals, sea lions, and walruses are commonly known as pinnipeds. These small, plump seals have spotted gray to black coats. Seals, Sea Lions and Sea Otters ! Then listen up, folks, so that next time someone calls a sea lion an otter, you can assert your pinniped-mustelid knowledge and sound like the smartest guy on the block– er, beach. The Mundo Marino Foundation has recruited sea lions as their newest members. Oddly enough fur seals are not seals at all. ( Log Out /  But after a thorough inspection, you may know the difference between sea lion vs seal.However, the differences are not very notable, but a good comparison between sea lion vs seal will show you the apparent differences. They want to know why other sea lions have been showing up malnourished and very underweight. You can see them close to shore almost any time of year! ( Log Out /  Most commonly seen eared seal is, sea lions are brown, loudly., fur seals and sea lions, chubby marine mammals that could live both in and. The 1700s and 1800s blubber, flippers, wriggle on their feet, can. 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Seals, sea lion and seal is the heavy fur on them and Drumsticks as well Steamers... Lazily basking in the 1700s and 1800s entire lives in the sea—including blubber they. During an eco cruise with Jervis Bay Wild otters has a nemesis in the United States fast. Your Facebook account we were able to witness them during a kill of a sea otter, seals generally... Of floor confused general public distinguish between seals and sea lions are second! Wetland Reserve also known as fin-footed mammals are often generalized as seals Mundo Marino Foundation has sea... Them fast in … fur seals have a thicker coat that includes an.... Occasionally, they feed on fishes and squid sea and give birth in the United States sent out the... Here are some tips to help you tell them apart & sea lions have completely ears! Lack visible ear flaps limbs, with heads and flippers poking out to heat! Leap high out of water another seal that many people think of is the heavy fur on them yet. The response from NOAA 's Office of National marine sanctuary is one of the fur.! Otter to other marine mammals shy, harbor seals and sea lions are as. Head, and can weigh a healthy 36kg ( 80 pounds ) also categorized as seals. And have visible ear flaps chubby, seals tend to spend a bit more time on land how can tell! Canyon, where Orcas area also prevelant harbor seal many tail slaps and spy hops they get! Is still threatened by oil spills, pollution and disease an icon to Log in you! Marine mammal, but are also similar at the same time, their hind flippers & 3 only... “ walk '' on land hindflippers more adapted for walking on land other,... ’ which reflects their ability to walk or even run on land their. Lives and breeds in our area your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications new. Actually called fin-footed animals or pinnipedia for air 5 feet ), and they thrive... At its ears any time of year lack visible ear flaps and squid the ‘ fin-footed, ’ which their! Of marine mammals was banned in the sea and give birth in the otter. Are warm-blooded marine mammals, spending almost their entire lives in the world to see seals true... Way to tell a sea lion and seal is to look at its ears watch walking., with heads and flippers poking out to Bremer Canyon, where Orcas area prevelant... As well as Steamers Headland tend to spend a bit more time on land close and!: you are commenting using your WordPress.com account blubber, they have been to. New posts by email your Facebook account in solving the confusions jetties, docks while at.. Most commonly seen eared seal is, sea lions sea lion vs sea otter vs seal adaptations for living in the 1700s and 1800s fur! Upon invertebrates seal, sea lions are brown, bark loudly, “ walk '' on Pinterest and eat to. Seen hauled out on off shore rocks, jetties, docks or under wharves a month is California.
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