Seals, walruses, sea lions and fur seals are all marine animals referred to as pinnipeds. Pinniped is a Latin-derived phrase that may be translated to imply “feather-footed” or “fin-footed,” describing an necessary attribute that distinguishes every species. Pinnipeds are divided into three distinct households that comprise 33 completely different species. Species in every household share some similarities however have variances in measurement, coloration, conduct and habitat.
Currently, seal populations around the globe are steady. Sea lions, nonetheless, are extra affected by threats from local weather change, air pollution and searching. Three species of sea lions are listed as endangered by the IUCN.
A Family Affair
Pinnipeds are divided into three distinct households, Phocidae, Otariidae and Odobenidae. The household of Phocidae incorporates all the true seals. True seals reside within the chilly ocean waters of the Arctic and off the coast of Antarctica. Harp, ringed, hooded, noticed, bearded and ribbon seals reside within the Arctic. Crabeater, Weddell, leopard and Ross seals reside within the Antarctic. Fur seals and sea lions comprise the Otariidae household. Fur seals and sea lions reside within the Northern Pacific between Asia and North America and off the coasts of South America, Antarctica, southwestern Africa and southern Australia. The third and ultimate household is Odobenidae, which completely teams the tusked walruses. All pinnipeds divide their time between near-shore terrestrial habitats and the ocean.
Leopard seal © Ted Martens
Some 50 million years in the past, pinnipeds break up off from different carnivores. These species tailored large flippers, thick layers of blubber and lengthy whiskers, enabling them to outlive harsh life within the chilly ocean waters. True seals are believed to be the fashionable relations of a standard terrestrial weasel-like ancestor, whereas the ocean lion household group are the descendants of a terrestrial bear-like ancestor.
Seal vs. Sea Lion
True seals have varied traits that separate the species from others within the Pinniped suborder. First off, seals haven’t any exterior ears. While sea lions and fur seals have exterior ears, seals simply have ear holes. Scientists use this main distinction to confer with species within the household Otariidae as eared seals and Phocidae as earless seals.
Seals in Antarctica © John Mittan-Mor
Sea lions and fur seals have lengthy flippers and may rotate their again flippers below their our bodies, permitting them to stroll and even gallop throughout land. Sea lions are distinctive in that they’ve a reflective membrane in the back of the attention that acts as a mirror, bouncing what little gentle they discover within the ocean again by means of the attention a second time, serving to them see underwater.
A pair of Galapagos sea lions © Richard de Gouveia
Seals, however, have brief flippers and may’t rotate their hind legs, so they’re pressured to flop round on their bellies when onshore, transferring ahead utilizing caterpillar-like hitching actions. Both species spend time in water and on land. Seals, nonetheless, are extra aqua dynamic than sea lions, making them higher tailored to reside in water. Their hind flippers angle backward and don’t rotate, making them quicker whereas swimming however slower crawlers on land.
Weddell seal © Colby Brokvist
Aside from the yearly mating season, seals desire to be solitary creatures, usually residing in caves within the arctic snow. Some seals by no means depart the ice pack, as an alternative poking respiratory holes within the ice to outlive. Sea lions, nonetheless, reside in giant colonies referred to as herds or rafts that may attain upwards of 1,500 people. Due to their social nature, sea lions and fur lions are a lot louder than true seals. Sea lions and fur seals talk by means of loud barking or bellowing, whereas seals often grunt softly to speak.
Fur seal © Richard De Gouveia
Galapagos Fur Seals vs. Galapagos Sea Lions
Part of the Republic of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are distributed on both facet of the equator within the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the middle of the Western Hemisphere.
Sea lion © Richard de Gouveia
Galapagos fur seals are endemic to the islands, they usually belong to a genus of fur seals referred to as Arctocephalus (or Arctophoca), which means bear-headed. Fur seals differ from sea lions as a result of they’ve extremely lengthy hind flippers. Both the ocean lion and the fur seal come from the identical household, “Otariidae,” which suggests “eared seal.” The Galapagos sea lion belongs to the genus Zalophus which incorporates two extant sea lion species and beforehand contained the Japanese sea lion, which went extinct within the Seventies.
The Galapagos Islands are one of many uncommon locations on Earth the place people can construct shut connections with sea lions and fur seals. On Nat Hab’s Galapagos Hiking & Kayaking Adventure, sea lion sightings whereas snorkeling and crusing are a every day incidence. Nat Hab has gained paddling permits that grant entry to unique enclaves most guests by no means get to see. The present inhabitants of Galapagos sea lions is estimated to be as much as 50,000, whereas the fur seal inhabitants is someplace between 10,000-15,000, making the islands the perfect location to come across these species of their pure habitat.
© Emily Supernavage