In the case of sea lions, the males can be almost four times larger than females when adults. The presence of the La Jolla Cove seals and sea lions is being threatened by local litigation that sees the seal odor as hurting nearby commercial interests. The sea lion's hind flippers are stronger and more flexible. They also engage in shoving matches, slamming into each other. “The biggest predator of fish like cod is other fish – and seals keep fish like that in check.” — Paul Watson. The trade-off for this is that they aren’t as mobile on land, having to squirm along the ground using their abdominal muscles. National Geographic Headquarters If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. You cannot download interactives. 'The leopard seal gets into the shallow bay just before low tide and pretends to be a rock, placing its head in the water,' said Mr Nachoum, 63, who is a keen observer of the muscular predators. “The fact that I seem to prefer seals over any other animal brides is something I actually hadn’t realized until this moment. Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. 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This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. The bodies of seals are built to withstand pressure and minimal oxygen levels, letting them dive to impressive depths of 1000 feet and remain underwater for more than an hour. The general size of a sea lion will vary depending on its habitat. The answer is 1, […]. The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), also referred to as the sea leopard,[3] is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the southern elephant seal). Let’s sort out the taxonomy first. Want to know more? It's even possible that a seal might to try to reproduce with a sea lion. The seal is a true predator. The Japanese sea lion went extinct in the 1950s. Show them the photo gallery of harbor seals, leopard seals, and California sea lions. (3,855.5 kilograms). Seals, like the gray seal and harbor seal, typically have shorter flippers than their sea lion cousins. New Zealand examples include the leopard seal and southern elephant seal. In terms of communication, seals tend to be quieter than sea lions. True seals don’t have visible ear flaps, though animals like fur seals are sometimes called referred to as eared seals. They can rotate under the sea lion's body and support it, enabling the sea lion to "walk" with the flippers on land. The largest is the southern elephant seal. The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), also referred to as the sea leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the southern elephant seal).Its only natural predator is the killer whale. And, It eats the dead seal. Then, The orca and leopard seal both swim back into the sea. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. They can rotate under the sea lion's body and support it, enabling the sea lion to "walk" with the flippers on land. * The leopard seal is a couple of feet longer. Its only natural predator is the killer whale. The most notable anatomical differences are the ears and the flippers. Seals vs Sea lions: The taxonomy of seal-ish things All of these things are pinnipeds – a sub-group of the order Carnivora. Eared seals include fur seals and sea lions. But seals and sea lions are in different taxonomical families owing to some key anatomical differences. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. © 2020 Science Trends LLC. According […], Scientists typically refer to the rise in global average temperature and the associated effects on Earth’s climate with the term […], Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) is a powerful explosive without military use because it is very sensitive to mechanical shock and so […], For most people, amphibians (e.g. Sea lions range mainly from light to dark brown, with a streamlined body. But now, thanks to National Geographic grantee Douglas Krause, we’re getting an underwater glimpse into leopard seals’ carnivorous lives—and the seal-on-seal battles are a sight to behold. Kim Hulse, National Geographic Society Have students compare the two drawings and list at least two features that seals and sea lions share. New Zealand examples are the New Zealand fur seal and New Zealand sea lion. Seals have more oxygen in their blood than just about any animal on land, which enables these feats. Introduce the concept of classification.Discuss why scientists classify animals into different groups. The pup can recognize its mother by her distinct vocalization, and it likewise has its own unique vocalization that the mother can recognize. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. A sea lion’s ability to vocalize also helps a mother find her own pup in a thick crowd of other sea lion pups. Being at home is a great time to learn. Using Crittercam® scientists try to learn about the leopard seal's hunting tactics. Watch and discuss the video.Show students the video of leopard seals. for arguing that human beings necessarily always act in their own self-interest. The other resident eared seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lion (Eumetopias jubata), a federally threatened species. The family phocidae is made up of the 'true seals' and contains species such as the leopard seal and the southern elephant seal. orca leopard seal - YouTube. 1. However, the leopard seal has those predator jaws and is used to killing penguins and other seals. Eared seals include fur seals and sea lions. This activity targets the following skills: The resources are also available at the top of the page. The remaining carcass is then eaten. There are 33 species of pinnipeds, divided into three families. (50 t… The sea lions rear flippers can be rotated under its body to walk very efficiently on land. Female mammals produce milk to feed their offspring. Start learning with a free trial at https://skl.sh/tierzoo7Check out Mike's video here! (Hair, blubber, and flippers all keep animals warm in icy water.)3. frogs and salamanders) are not a part of everyday life. Seals, sea lions and walruses are marine mammals and belong to the order pinnipedia. Seals and sea lions have many similarities, and are in the same family of Pinnipeds, but they lead very different lives. She or he will best know the preferred format. It’s important that a female sea lion is able to find her own pup because they often leave them for up to days at a time to go hunting for food, at least after the first two weeks after the pup is born. [4] It feeds on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other … They have powerful front flippers used for swimming. How Many Months Of The Year Have 28 Days? Their bodies are built for more energy-efficient swimming than sea lions, meaning that they can swim for longer periods of time. Give each student a copy of the worksheet Seals and Sea Lions: Compare and Contrast. "This is very weird because it's hair and feathers, mammals and birds," he … Otariid species are typically more upright when on land, and can move with reasonable agility. The large groups they mate in are an exception to their otherwise fairly solitary lifestyle. The sea lion definitely has the weight advantage. Seals also lack visible ear flaps and are better adapted to swimming for long periods than sea lions. Seals and sea lions share adaptations for living in the sea—including blubber, flippers, and streamlined bodies. That's great to hear! PLA22-21 The Antarctic Peninsula Basecamp cruise offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic Region. Females are much smaller, but still weigh more than a car at 2,000 lbs. Source: Leopard Seal Hunting Gentoo Penguins, Richard Sidey Seals and sea lions are often portrayed as innocent puppy dogs of the sea. What are the differences between the two animals? Seals also are suited to spend more time in the water than sea lions, which can "walk" on shore with their large flippers and spend time in large social groups. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Privacy Notice | Tell them they can confirm or revise their predictions as they watch a video.5. They communicate through quieter grunts and whines than sea-lions, who are known for their loud barks. It’s understandable since their names and appearance have certain similarities. The also hunt Hump Backed Whale calves, and Great White Sharks. Have students use the National Geographic Animals site to research what California sea lions eat, where they find food, and how they eat it. a modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence. Though their bodies can appear chubby, seals are generally smaller and … How can you tell the two apart? We know that leopard seals are large, formidable predators, but exactly what they’re doing below the waterline has long remained a mystery. Sign up for our science newsletter! Seals and sea lions are both mammals. The sea lion's hind flippers are stronger and more flexible. Pinnipeds are split into three families – True Seals (Phocidae); Eared Seals (Otariidae) and the Walrus (the sole member of Odobenidae). We love feedback :-) and want your input on how to make Science Trends even better. Seals are much more quiet than the vocal sea lions and only move on land by wiggling on their bellies, whereas sea lions are able to “walk” using their flippers. Apart from these periods of hunting a pup and its mother may stay by each other’s side for as long as two years before the young sea lion will venture off on its own. They have external ears, hind flippers they can turn forward under the body and walk on and no fur on the under side of their flippers. The Galapagos fur seal belongs to a genus of fur seals called Arctocephalus (or Arctophoca), meaning bear-headed. An adaptation is passed from generation to generation. Give each student a copy of the worksheet Seals and Sea Lions: Compare Seals tend to migrate back and forth between feeding grounds and breeding ground, and they may travel thousands of miles a year, like some other aquatic species. The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes was famous (infamous?) However, they are not nearly as innocent as you’d like to believe. This comes in handy during the mating season when the male sea lions will compete for territory (and thus breeding partners) by roaring and barking at one another, attempting to frighten each other off. Fossils suggest they diverged into a separate family from other pinnipeds around 15-20 million years ago. Have students make predictions.Explain to students that seals' rear flippers extend backward; sea lions' rear flippers extend forward. Although they feed in the sea, they surface for air. This curated collection for learners in grades 3-5 can be implemented at home with minimal supplies and includes engaging, fun, and skill-building lessons in social studies, geography, science, and more. The smallest is the ringed seal, with an average length of 5 feet (1.5 m) and a weight of 110 to 150 lbs. The colder the water is, the more blubber that the sea lions need to keep warm. If you have ever seen an Distribute the worksheet and have students identify similarities.Give each student a copy of the worksheet Seals and Sea Lions: Compare and Contrast. That’s the short answer, but let’s go over the two animals in more detail, as it will help distinguish the two from one another. Besides, when swimming, the seal mainly uses the hind Sea lions and seals are both part of the group known as pinnipeds. Christina Riska Simmons, Mary C. Cahill, Middle School Science Coordinator, The Potomac School, McLean, VA, Special thanks to the National Geographic Museum, adapted from National Geographic “Crittercam Educator Activities”. Distribute the worksheet and have students identify similarities. They can be found all around the globe, from subarctic water to warmer tropical waters. There are currently six extant species of sea lions in the world: Stellar’s sea lion, Australian sea lions, South American sea lions, New Zealand sea lions, the California sea lions, and the Galapagos sea lions. Pinnipeds are those animals that spend a lot of time on both the shore of a landmass and in the ocean, and they include walruses along with sea lions and seals. Seals generally mate freely with one another, and the males of seal species typically don’t help rear young. Although they are not considered endangered, as sea ice melting earlier and earlier each year, available harp seal breeding grounds are being lost in the North Atlantic and Arctic. Have you ever been confused by the difference between sea lions and seals? 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. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. We're sorry to hear that! A quick look at Youtube says yeas they do. Besides, when swimming, the seal mainly uses the hind flippers as thrusters; the sea lion swims with its front fins, with hind flippers acting as rudders. We cover everything from solar power cell technology to climate change to cancer research. Seals are quieter, vocalizing via soft grunts. Also, sea lions are just plain noisy, whereas seals are a bit quieter. Seals have shorter front flippers; sea lions have longer front flippers.) Science Trends is a popular source of science news and education around the world. A beached leopard seal at Durras North on the NSW south coast in 2013. Credit: Michael Young "They travel a long way, from the sub-Antarctic, and they need to … They share their Otariidae family with their fur seal cousins (again, not true seals). Leopard seal feeding behavior is most easily seen when preying on penguins. Plastic has become an essential material for our life, from […], You may be wondering how many months of the year only have 28 days in them. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. 1145 17th Street NW Show them the photo gallery of harbor seals, leopard seals, and California sea lions.2. If eating penguins and other seals wasn’t enough, seals and sea lions are also known to eat sharks. Sea lions also have a more rounded snout whereas the fur seal has a more pointed nose. Sea lions are much more vocal than seals, have visible ear flaps, have more defined “legs” that allow them to walk on land, and are more social than seals. Sea lions need to eat quite a bit of meat every day to thrive, sometimes consuming up to 50 pounds of squid or fish in a single day. Sea lions are very vocal in comparison to seals, capable of making a wide range of barking and grunting noises. New Zealand examples include the leopard seal and southern elephant seal. 6. A few of these species are considered endangered, with much of the damage to their species coming from climate change, which threatens many species around the globe. Phocids, true seals, swim on their side, twisting their bodies and using their hind flippers to propel themselves through the water while the steer themselves with their fore flippers. Leopard seals are second only amongst seal species to elephant seals in terms of size. They are uniformly dark brown and vocalize with the notable sea lion "bark". Leopard Seal This article is about the character. The sea lion has a big weight advantage. Seal pups are raised for between 4 to 5 weeks, at which point they can fend for themselves and their mothers leave them to mate once more. The other resident eared seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lion (), a federally As the sea ice melts ever earlier in the season, swimming to escape predators becomes even harder. They return to land to give birth and nurse their young. In Eden Australa an Orca pod led by Old Tom cooperated with people to Ask them how they would explain how to tell seals and sea lions apart to someone who has never seen either. Prove you're human, which is bigger, 2 or 8? Sea lions are part of the family Otariidae, along with fur seals. Source: Sea Lion Eating a Leopard Shark, SD Expeditions. 2. Kristen Dell, National Geographic Society, Sheryl Hasegawa, National Geographic Society California sea lions are the "trained seal" of marine parks and circuses. All are carnivores that hunt at sea — often for fish and squid — and breed on land; mostly in large, noisy colonies. Leopard seals have unique cheek teeth that are shaped to allow them to strain krill from the water. Behind the Scenes of Our January 2021 Special Issue, ‘2020: The Year in Pictures’ This completely flips the whole stereotype that seals are only lunch for sharks on its head, although you probably won’t see a sea lion eating a great white shark. Sea lions and fur seals (members of the eared seal family) have visible ear flaps, while true seals only have ear holes. Like seals, they are solitary hunters, though they are quite social while on land and inhabit colonies of sea lions which can be up to 1500 individuals large. The pinniped suborder has 33 species in three families. By contrast, seals flop and scoot around on their stomachs while on land and don’t have noticeable ear flaps. They are more mobile on land than true seals, though they can’t swim for as long as true seals can. SEALS AND SEA LIONS are marine mammals known as pinnipeds; there are 33 species worldwide. Sustainability Policy | They are uniformly dark brown and vocalize with the notable sea lion "bark". Sexually mature males are much larger than females, and have a sagittal crest, or large bump, on their heads. animal with hair that gives birth to live offspring. The Australian sea lion and Australian and New Zealand fur seals are the only species that breed on and around Australia’s main-land and nearshore islands. Don’t say goodbye. 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.Together with the fur seals, they comprise the family Otariidae, eared seals, which contains six extant and one extinct species (the Japanese sea lion… They tend to be cryptic […], In most East and Southeast Asia countries, mosaic crop production systems usually consist of relatively small land holdings ( < […], It is clear that we cannot live without plastic anymore. Terms of Service | Program. Have students write a paragraph summarizing the information they find. Sea lions who make their homes in warmer, tropical waters like the South American sea lion, tend to be smaller than those which make their home in colder waters. Then ask them to compare how each animal uses its flippers on land and in water. (Possible answers: Seals do not have ear openings; sea lions do. Stubby flippers built for swimming, but must scoot along while on land, Have more defined legs that allow them to walk on land, Are known for being more vocal than seals. Sea lions are a very sexually dimorphic species, meaning that there are substantial differences in size and appearance between the females and males of the species. Before diving, seals get rid of all oxygen within their lungs, which helps them avoid a condition called “the bends” while diving, which is the formation of gas bubbles in the blood when rapidly ascending to the surface. Have students identify differences.Have students find at least two features that differ in seals and sea lions. There are at least 18 species of true seals, including the spotted seal, the grey seal, the bearded seal, the leopard seal, the northern elephant seal, and the Hawaiian monk seal. Dr. Mike Heithaus and others try to tranquillize a lion. 4. True earless seals belong to the family Phocidae, and they are found throughout polar and temperate climates all throughout the world, including around the Pacific ocean. All rights reserved. Males are massive, weighing up to 8,500 lbs. Leopard seals heads and front flippers are extremely large in comparison to other phocids. For the seal, see Leopard Seal. “Every March, up to 200,000 harp seal pups are born on sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Eared seals are the 16 species that are commonly named sea lions because of the males manes and fur seals because of their dense underfur for which they were heavily persecuted. (907.18 kg). 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. Sea lions and true seals are sometimes referred to as just “seals,” but there is a genuine difference between them. All Rights Reserved. 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. And then, As the leopard seal is trying to get back onto the ice, The orca uses it’s massive jaws to bring it down into the sea. The family otariidae contains 14 species, including the fur seals and sea lions. Taxonomy enables scientists to make sense of the millions of kinds of living things and see how they are related. There are 18 species of true seals, according to Seals World. 2. In brief, sea lions are capable of walking on all fours, tend to be a little larger, and have discernable ear flaps. The Galapagos fur seal and the Galapagos sea lion are actually quite closely related, and come from the same family: “Otariidae” which means “eared seal”. Discuss how this movement relates to the animals' vulnerability to predators like polar bears and sharks. Third, sea lions are noisy. Students use observation skills to determine taxonomic differences between seals and sea lions. The captured bird is thrashed about on the water until its skin peels away. Sea lions and fur seals (seals with thick fur that are more similar to sea The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Distribute the worksheet and have students identify similarities. Males measure about 20 feet long (6 meters), while females are about half as long. © 1996 - 2021 National Geographic Society. Seals have stubby front flippers, which means they have to scoot along on their stomachs when on land. The pinniped suborder has 33 species in three families. Tell students that the science of classifying organisms into different groups is taxonomy. Code of Ethics. In some species, the males have longer hair on their necks, similar to a lions mane. California sea lions are the "trained seal" of marine parks and circuses. Seals are smaller than sea lions; male Stellar sea lions can grow to be up to 2,200 pounds. 10 leopard seal facts that may surprise you If your thirst for adventure leads you to Antarctica, you may be lucky enough to cross paths with a leopard seal while you’re there. "Remember dumplings, I know where you live." Let’s sort out the taxonomy first. The orca wins. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Seals lack an external ear flap whereas sea lions have an external ear flap that is visible. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. As horrible as it is, but one really easy way to tell them apart comes to us courtesy of the Discovery Channel. But seals and sea lions belong to different families. Perhaps it’s because there’s a lot of very cool folklore about it.” — Delia Sherman. Want more Science Trends? Seals lack an external ear flap whereas sea lions have an external ear flap that is visible. Ask students to think of an example of two animals that look similar but belong to different families. 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. While they are often food for sharks, they are also deadly predators, especially in the cold climates like Antarctica. 3. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. This lists the logos of programs or partners of, National Geographic Animals: California Sea Lion, explain why scientists classify animals into different groups, identify the similarities and differences between seals and sea lions, describe how the similarities help the animals to swim in cold water, Tech Setup: 1 computer per classroom, Projector, Speakers. Show them the photo gallery of harbor seals, leopard seals, and California sea lions. Which will dominate in a confrontation? But this was something different entirely. We help hundreds of thousands of people every month learn about the world we live in and the latest scientific breakthroughs. Their loose jaw can open as far as 160 Discuss how these features relate to swimming in cold water. Better than double the weight. Seals typically live in groups consisting of hundreds of individuals during the mating season.
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