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Seals and sea lions are marine mammals called 'pinnipeds' that differ in physical characteristics and adaptations. Sea lions (left) are brown, bark loudly, "walk" on land using their large flippers and have visible ear flaps.
Sea lions and fur seals have external ears that protrude from their heads. Seals, on the other hand, have no external ear flap but instead have ear holes. This is why scientists refer to species in the family Otariidae as eared seals.
What’s the difference between seals and sea lions? Learn about physical and behavioral differences as well as how our hospital cares for seals vs. sea lions.
Seals and sea lions are both pinnipeds, but they have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Learn how to recognize a seal vs. a sea lion. Seals and sea lions, along with walruses, belong to a group of marine mammals called “pinnipeds.”
1. When sea lions swim, they propel themselves through the water using their front flippers. Seals, on the other hand, build speed with their rear flippers and by moving their lower body side-to-side in a sculling motion. Exactly how fast can seals and sea lions swim? Sea lions can reach speeds of 25-30 mph! Gray seals clock in at about 14-23 mph.
How to tell the difference between grey and common seals. On land, true seals wriggle around on their bellies, while eared seals are able to fold their rear flippers and use them almost like legs. Sea lion Getty images. The biggest and smallest pinnipeds are both true seals.
The 5 Key Differences between Seals and Sea Lions. While seals and sea lions can be very difficult to tell apart for the untrained eye, there are five important differences between them that should aid in identification. These differences mostly come down to body shape and social organization.
Seals and sea lions are very similar marine carnivores, with a few handy differences. If you can get over the common naming fiasco for the eared seals, it’s as simple as checking for external flaps on the side of the head, but there are also other handy differences to know about.
California sea lions are the "trained seal" of marine parks and circuses. They are uniformly dark brown and vocalize with the notable sea lion "bark". The other resident eared seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lion (Eumetopias jubata), a federally threatened species.
While they may look fairly similar, there are marked differences between Sea Lions and Seals. Here’s how to tell them apart.