Both the fur seal and the sea lion possess small flaps on the outside of their ears. Pinnipeds are further distributed into the Odobenidae family, which is the walrus; the Otariidae family, which includes eared seals, sea lions, and fur seals; and the Phocidae family, which is the earless seals. The sea lion has a visual external pinnae that looks more like a tiny dog ear. But even the fur seal and the sea … Rotate their hind flippers under their bodies, enabling them to walk or even run on land. Both types of seals, sea lions and walruses are all considered to be in the suborder Pinnipedia, which is usually translated as \"fin-footed\" or \"feather-footed.\" Pinnipeds (within the order Carnivora) consist of three families. Explore beautiful aquariums, feed sea lions, or dance with dolphins at SeaWorld. Oliver and Grayson are our beluga whales who live at Wild Arctic. 3. Finding a good place to give birth and raise young is not so easy. Seals are less social than their gregarious sea-lion cousins. When dry, the fur seals lounging on the deck at the marine mammal center look more brown, and their sea lion neighbors will look a golden brown or blonde color. (Walruses are in the family Odobenidae, but their large tusks make them easy to … Not exactly the most graceful on land but awesome in water. Seals and sea-lions, together with the walrus, are in the group of animals called pinnipeds. Unlimited Admission to SeaWorld and Aquatica, Meet our Beluga Whales in honor of National Whale Day, Generally more social, living in larger groups, Paddlelike hind flippers can be rotated forward to move across land more easily, Cannot rotate hind flippers under body, so instead they drag themselves across land, No visible earflaps, just a small pinhole openings behind the eyes for the ears. Places that meet all these co… Source: Leopard Seal Hunting Gentoo Penguins, Richard Sidey. They are really a type of sea lion. [Download a PDF file about the differences between harbor seals and sea lions]. In the La Jolla area, the harbor seals live at Casa Beach, while the sea lions live about a half mile north at the Cove. The biggest difference is in the presence of external ears. Seals have little holes on their head, and lacks a pinnae. Buy an Annual Pass and enjoy 12 months admission, NOW with our BEST benefits EVER! .site-alert-indicator .site-alert-indicator__message p a {color:black;} True seals, on the other hand, are in the family Phocidae. .site-alert-indicator .site-alert-indicator__message {text-align: center; color:black} Odobenidae is a family of pinnipeds, whose only living specie is the Walrus. Sea lions in the wild may live up to 25 years. The term "seal" is often used to refer to both seals and sea lions, but there are several characteristics that set seals and sea lions apart. Sea Lions and Fur Seals Steller sea lions are common locally (common in certain areas) on Togiak Refuge. These small, plump seals have spotted gray to black coats. Seals vs Sea Lions Seals and sea lions are actually called fin-footed animals or pinnipedia. [CDATA[ Seals vs. Sea Lions Many people confuse seals and sea lions as they share many similarities. On Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 9 - 17, meet the SeaWorld team and hear their personal stories about caring for our animals. They are warm-blooded marine mammals that could live both in water and on land. The Phocidae, or family group to which the true seals belong, are believed to have descended from a terrestrial weasel-like ancestor, while the Otariidae, or sea lion family group, are thought to have descended from a terrestrial bear-like ancestor. Have an existing ticket, Annual Pass or Fun Card. Oddly enough fur seals are not seals at all. One quick way to tell a sea lion from a seal is to look at its ears. Review Important Safety Guidelines. Below you can learn about the differences that set seals and sea lions. The breakdown of these families looks something like this: They return to land to give birth and nurse their young. Sea Lions Smooth whiskers Ear Flaps Long hairless front flippers & 3 toenails ONLY on the hindflippers. SeaWorld Orlando, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando, FL 32821. Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short, thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Harbor seals have short, hairy, webbed front flippers with claws, whereas sea lions have long, hairless, clawless and mostly skin-covered, fore flippers. This makes them fast and graceful in the water; however they can only move on land by wiggling awkwardly on their belly. Seals and sea lions are both mammals. Enjoy Front-of-the-Line access to our most popular rides. We strongly encourage you to purchase pre-paid parking before your visit to help maintain physical distancing. The sea floor leading up to it should be sloped to make it easy to come ashore. Reply Delete. “Seals” is actually a generalized name for all pinnipeds. // . In honor of National Whale Day, we learned more about these adorable guys from the team who knows them best – their Animal Care Specialists! Sea lions are the opposite, using their foreflippers for power and their back flippers for steering. • While swimming, the movement is powered by hind limbs in seals, but sea lions generate the moving force from the fore limbs. Seals are the most prominent of pinnepids, and the others to follow are Sea Lions and Walruses. In the La Jolla area, the harbor seals live at Casa Beach, while the sea lions live about a half mile north at the Cove. Seals have stubby front flippers, which means they have to scoot along on their stomachs when on land. Sea lions and fur seals (seals with thick fur that are more similar to sea lions than to true seals) are lumped together in the family Otariidae. 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