They return to land to give birth and nurse their young. 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. The Galapagos sea lion takes the scientific name of Zalophus wollebaeki, and is a more direct relative of the California sea lion. Replies. When in doubt, here’s an easy guide to tell California sea lions apart from harbor seals: Now that you know more about the difference between these two marine animals, find out which one you might be: GUESS WHAT? Seals are smaller than sea lions; male Stellar sea lions can grow to be up to 2,200 pounds. The seals are classified as earless pennipeds while the sea lions are classified as eared pennipeds. The breakdown of these families looks something like this: This makes them fast and graceful in the water; however they can only move on land by wiggling awkwardly on their belly. Whisper, a 20-year-old beluga whale at the Georgia Aquarium gave birth to a calf on Sunday, May 17. [CDATA[ Northern fur seals also inhabit Togiak Refuge shorelines, but are rare. In this article, we have used the term seals to refer to true seals. Seals and sea lions have many similarities, and are in the same family of Pinnipeds, but they lead very different lives. Pinnipeds are classified under three families, eared seals, true seals and walruses. Seals lack external ears — they have a tiny ear hole on each side of their head — whereas sea lions have small flaps for outer ears. Make your reservation today! We strongly encourage you to purchase pre-paid parking before your visit to help maintain physical distancing. Seals and sea lions share adaptations for living in the sea—including blubber, flippers, and streamlined bodies. Sea lions and fur seals bear their young on land. Get the latest news on Pass Member exclusives and offers each month. Steller sea lions are found in coastal waters of the North Pacific Ocean from Japan to central California. On Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 9 - 17, meet the SeaWorld team and hear their personal stories about caring for our animals. They are both members of the order Pinnipedia, which means “feather footed.” Pinnipeds have a substantial system of nerves in their upper lips and use thick whiskers called vibrissae to find food. Meet the Wild Arctic Walrus family at SeaWorld Orlando on this very special Walrus Awareness Week. TM/© 2021 Sesame Workshop. Jessica loves all animals, whether they fly, swim or crawl she has a passion to learn more about them and how to protect them. Seals and sea-lions, together with the walrus, are in the group of animals called pinnipeds. 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. Whisper moved from SeaWorld Orlando to Georgia Aquarium early last year. 3. Seals vs. sea lions is a difficult topic to grasp, but this article aims to clearly illuminate the difference between these two aquatic beasts. In Alaska we have a number of seal species including harbor seals, bearded seals, ribbon seals, ringed seals, and … Sea lions in the wild may live up to 25 years. IF THIS IS YOU, THEN YOU'D MAKE A GREAT CALIFORNIA SEA LION! Explore beautiful aquariums, feed sea lions, or dance with dolphins at SeaWorld. Sea Lion and another mammal called fur seals belong to the Otariidae family, which is known as eared seals. The only thing to tell them apart is, the fur seal has a comparatively shorter face and softer fur; and male sea lions have mane hair on their necks, like the real lions in Africa. Both seals and sea lions, together with the walrus, are pinnipeds, which means “fin-footed” in Latin. Seals have little holes on their head, and lacks a pinnae. The word 'pinniped' means 'fin foot', as the four legs of seals, sea-lions and walrus have developed into flippers to better suit their life in the water. 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. Eared Seals (Otariidae) Marine mammals spend all or the majority of their time in water, and thus are specially adapted to this way of life. Sea lions do have external ear flaps – you can see it on the side of the head in both of the pictures below as well as other morphological similarities between sea lions: Together with the fur seals, they comprise the family Otariidae, eared seals, which contains six extant and one extinct species in five genera. IF THIS IS YOU, THEN YOU'RE A HARBOR SEAL! 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. When swimming, seals use their back flippers for power and their front flippers for steering. The sea lion has a visual external pinnae that looks more like a tiny dog ear. Eat and drink all day as often as once every hour for one low price. Seals have spotted coats in a variety of shades from white or silver-gray to black or dark brown, while sea lions are brown — their color ranges from chocolate brown in males to a lighter, golden brown in females. Source: Leopard Seal Hunting Gentoo Penguins, Richard Sidey. When swimming, seals use their back flippers for power and their front flippers for steering. Below you can learn about the differences that set seals and sea lions. Most pups are born on the Channel Islands located off Southern California in June. [Download a PDF file about the differences between harbor seals and sea lions]. Seals (true seals or earless seals) have no external ear flaps. // . While seals and sea lions have much in common, there are many notable differences: Please use the drop down menu below to view page in a different language. “Seals” is actually a generalized name for all pinnipeds. Sea Lions and Fur Seals Steller sea lions are common locally (common in certain areas) on Togiak Refuge. Seals vs. Sea Lions - What's the Difference? 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. View park hours and experience times to plan your day at the park. Here comes the trouble: the fur seal is a kind of sea lion! Many people confuse seals and sea lions as they share many similarities. And it looks pretty much like the sea lion with visible ears and all other characteristics. When they are wet, fur seals look black, while the sea lions look brown. Enjoy fabulous, family-friendly, live entertainment at SeaWorld. Sea lions have external ear flaps—seals do not. Get the admission that is right for you with a Single-Day or Multi-Day Ticket. This does not help the already confused general public distinguish between seals and sea lions. They are mammals, which means that they have live young, produce milk, have hair (or fur) on their bodies, and breathe air. They Don’t Just Eat Fish. Seals, sea lions, and walruses belong to a group of marine mammals called pinnipeds, referring to their flippered feet. Sea lions and true seals are sometimes referred to as just “seals,” but there is a genuine difference between them. But even the fur seal and the sea … Seals, sea lions, and walruses are all in the order Carnivora and suborder Pinnipedia, thus they are called “pinnipeds.” Seals have small flippers, wriggle on their bellies on land, and … As just “seals, ” but there is a more direct relative of the North Pacific Ocean from to. Typically have shorter flippers than their gregarious sea-lion cousins ' pinnipeds ' differ. And lacks a pinnae it easy to come ashore shy, harbor seals can be seen year-round resting rocks! 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