Sea lion - the representatives of the eared seal family got their name due to the close resemblance to land lions. Male sea lions emit growl-like growls African lion... The same shaggy manes can be seen on their heads. The pinniped (in Latin “with fins”) is streamlined, bulky, but flexible and slender, capable of reaching more than two meters in length. Let's get to know the marine life better in the article.

Sea lion - description and characteristics

Many are interested in how much an adult sea lion weighs? The mass of a pinnacled mammal reaches 300 kg. Although the sea lion is quite bulky and looks too large and clumsy, it feels great in its weight. Females of sea lions are several times smaller than males - an average of 90 kg. Animal head small size, outwardly resembles the head of a dog: an elongated, flexible neck, huge bulging eyes. A large, dense mustache is located on the muzzle. At the top of the lions' heads there is a real hairstyle - a crest.

The fur of marine life has a brownish-black tint. The coat is rather short and sparse, so it is not particularly appreciated, unlike the fur of fur seals. Animals, due to the presence of thick limbs, flippers, deftly move along the shore. Their relatives, seals, are not as nimble as lions. The body of animals is much more flexible than that of congeners.

Sea lions easily cover long distances in the water and show real acrobatic sketches. With the help of fins, they professionally maneuver in water spaces and easily redirect a bulky body in any direction. Thus, it is not difficult to get food, and the marine life has won the title of a successful breadwinner. Heading for food, a lion can swim several kilometers from the coast.

Usually, lions settle on the sea and ocean coasts, regardless of coverage. These can be rocky shores and sandy beaches. It can even be found in grass thickets.

Depending on the type of lion, animals can live in different territories:

  • Northern sea lion Steller sea lion lives on the Pacific shores and islands that are nearby. They prefer Canada, USA, Japan. On the shores, animals are located in large herds.
  • New Zealand lions are preferred in the subantarctic islands, near New Zealand. Most of them rest on the beaches of Auckland.
  • California sea lion has settled in northern waters The Pacific.
  • A southern view that is a regular on the shores and ocean waters of South American regions.
  • Australian lions make rookeries in the south and west of Australia.

It is worth mentioning that Marine life have long found their place in dolphinariums and circuses. Seal and sea lion participate in show performances in aquariums, learn to perform various tricks. It is often believed that these cute animals are absolutely safe. Is the sea lion a predator? V wildlife A 300-pound stuntman can be quite dangerous. The sea lion is a rather aggressive predator. There are cases when they attacked fishermen and swimmers. There are even more cases of lion attacks than sharks.

Like all relatives, predators live in herds, but their number is not as high as that of fellow seals. Some species can swim for a long time in open waters and not return to the shore for several days. Therefore, during long journeys on a ship, you can see these animals in the middle of the ocean or sea.

Sea lions prefer to stay in the places they have chosen initially, without being engaged in "wandering" from place to place. They live several tens of kilometers from land and communicate with each other with sound urges. Their voices are like the growls of land lions.

What does a sea lion eat?

What does the inhabitant of the "big" waters eat - the sea lion? It feeds on seafood: fish, octopuses, crayfish and every edible trifle that gets along the way. They find prey at the bottom of the sea and ocean, at a depth of up to 100 meters. When a lion runs into a hedgehog fish, it swells to such an extent that the lion cannot bite through it with its limited mouth.

The fish are chased at high speed, maneuvering between seashells, algae and sea caves. In the expanses of water, lions move as easily as birds fly across the sky, actively rowing with their front limbs and hind flippers.

Marine life do not accumulate large layers of fat and do not eat in reserve. They feed on fresh seafood every day and have no problems finding food.

If marine mammals are on a hill, then they can safely jump from it into the water from a height of up to 20 meters. Herring, pollock, capelin, halibut, gobies, flounder become a favorite delicacy, one of the varieties of lions - sea lions. The eared family can feed on algae, octopuses. Since the lion is a predator, it can even attack a shark. Adult males, if they want to eat very much, can attack the penguin.

Some fishermen testify that sea lions attacked their catch.

Breeding sea lions

The mating season occurs once a year right on the shores where sea lions live. They behave much more calmly than, for example, seals. Males occupy the beach area and protect it from strangers. Sometimes sea lions fight competitors in an attempt to reclaim their rights to females. Females gather in whole herds and wait to see who will become the strongest male inseminator.

It happens that battles reach large-scale proportions. However, there is no death or bloodshed. Although, as elsewhere, there are exceptions. When young males want to enter a herd of older females, large males defend their harem. Then violent skirmishes occur, where some lions may come out of the fight with injuries.

Each male gathers around a dozen females. The owner is vigilant that his "ladies" do not look at other males and especially do not have a relationship with them. Those individuals that do not breed move away from the rest of the rookery to the side. When the female enters estrus, she lies down next to the chosen male and snuggles against his body. Without taking their eyes off the lion, they begin to mate. This happens in water or on land within an hour.

Pregnancy of lionesses lasts 12 months. They give birth to small sea lions, and at the same time they begin to mate with males again. The female is ready for the next pregnancy already 2 weeks after giving birth.

Lion cubs are born with golden fur, weighing 20 kilograms. At first, the female mother is not separated from the newborn. When she becomes pregnant again, she moves away from the baby and begins to swim into the sea, losing interest in her born lion cub. Those females that continue to feed babies with 30% fat milk remain with babies for 6-7 months.

After giving birth, the female carefully licks the baby, transferring her scent to him, so as not to confuse him with other newborns. In the first half hour, she exchanges sound passwords with the lion cub, which help to find the cub.

Life span of sea lions

How long does a sea lion live? After the animal begins to molt, young individuals gather in a separate herd. They live separately until they reach puberty. Females reach maturity at 2.5-3 years. Males are undergoing serious competition, so they can acquire a harem only after 5 years. The life span of a mammal is 20 years.

The difference between sea lions and seals

The difference between a sea lion and a seal is obvious. According to the way of life, the two types of relatives differ from each other. The differences are as follows:

  • sea ​​lions more dexterously maneuver in water, these animals are quite agile and flexible "acrobats";
  • their skin is also different. Lions have a meager coat and small fat reserves, which cannot be said about a fur seal. Therefore, seals are hunted much more often, and in Japan even one of the species of these animals was completely destroyed;
  • there are 5 types of lions and 8 types of seals;
  • lions have large long flippers and a massive body. The seals are smaller.

It should be noted that there are also a lot of similarities. Given the generic community, as well as external similarities... The Southern Sea Lion has similarities with seals: males have a crest on their heads the same as that of seals.

Enemies of sea lions

Sharks and killer whales significantly reduce the life of lions. Predators can reach speeds of up to 55 km / h. Killer whales are the most aggressive type of toothed whales and are considered the most dangerous enemies for sea lions.

Animals may die earlier from collisions with ships. Sea lions are very smart and quick-witted, they, suspecting danger from sharks, seek help from people! There were times when an animal swam up to the yachts and asked to save her, showing it with all its appearance.

It is fortunate for lions that their fur is not appreciated among fishermen. And they are not economically viable for manufacturing enterprises.

Types of sea lions

There are five types of marine life:

  • Northern;
  • Southern;
  • Californian;
  • Australian;
  • New Zealand.

Northern

The northern sea lion also has another name - sea lion. This species lives on the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, Alaska. Of all the subspecies of sea lions, the sea lion is the largest subspecies with pronounced sexual characteristics.

This view is truly enormous. Adult males reach a length of 3-3.5 meters, and weigh up to 500-1000 kg. Females are much smaller, but very large relative to other subspecies. The mass is 250-350 kg. Representatives have a light red skin color. Females are very graceful, flexible, head is small.

The difference between this species and the rest is due to socialization. They live only on the northern shores and coastal areas. Sometimes they are found on ice floes. They are tied to a place and do not migrate to other territories.

V annual cycle animals are separated by periods: migration to the sea and being on land. Male sea lions become capable of breeding at about 5 years old, but they are allowed to approach females only at 7-8 years old. Mating starts from late May to early June.

Reproduction is based on the fertilization of many females by one male. This type of sea lion does not actively protect their harem. They are "selfish" and in a harem they only solve their own needs. After the birth of the cub, the females mate again after 10 days.

The diet consists of shellfish and fish. Sometimes they attack fur seals. In Russia, this species is listed in the Red Book, as it is on the verge of extinction. Scientists attributed this situation to bad ecology.

California

The California sea lion lives in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, it is also called the northern one. There are 190 thousand of them. Their number increases by 5% annually.

They differ from other species of lions in their unique quick wit and adaptability to any situation. Even if cataclysms occur in nature, animals quickly rebuild and survive. They can often be found in aquariums and circuses, zoos. He is easy to train and is friendly with humans, despite his predatory roots. It is the only species that can survive in a limited area.

Trained in a special way, sea lions took part in military naval operations. Subversive mechanisms were installed on animals.

The California sea lion is the king of marine life. Outside the mating season, males and young lions move north, while females stay with their cubs in the rookeries or go south. Therefore, females and males keep apart and meet only once a year.

Animals spend their free time on the shore, free from food extraction. They are real sleepyheads, they love to sleep well, lounging around each other. In the daytime, they are massaged on stones or scratched with the claws of a neighbor.

The California lion's diet consists of marine life: squid, salmon and herring. The lion swallows small fish right in the depths of the sea, big booty eats on land. If a large school of fish is found, then the lions go hunting together.

In the 16th century, animal meat and skins were much more in demand than they are now. At this time, the animals began to be exterminated en masse and the population decreased markedly.

The mating season is from May to September. At this time, the lions become especially active and settle down on the beach with their harem. They give birth to a cub weighing up to 6 kg, 70 cm long. One female has one lion cub.

  • the animal swims 30 km / h and can move along the shore at an even greater speed;
  • can hold its breath in the depths of the sea for 10 minutes and dive under water to a depth of 250 m.

Yuzhny

The southern subspecies of the sea lion is a representative of the South American regions. The male reaches almost 3 meters in length, weight up to 300 kg. Females are much smaller, up to 100 kg. The skin is dark brown, lighter underneath. The head, neck, shoulders are covered with a large tuft of lush hair.

Southern lions live in the Falkland Islands, on the shores South America, parts of Brazil. V sea ​​waters catch squid, octopus, fish. Penguins are often attacked. According to the observations of scientists, only the southern subspecies will attack the penguins.

During breeding, a lion's harem can include up to 15-18 females. Males closely monitor their females and make sure they do not move into the neighboring harem. Males from other sites constantly want to steal a neighbor's female into their harem.

Sea lionesses give birth to one cub weighing 15 kg. After 3-4 days, the females leave for food, and the babies are left alone. If they get hungry, other females feed them.

Animals are dying because of sharks, killer whales, at the hands of fishermen and because of the chemicals that enter the ocean.

Australian

Individuals of the Australian subspecies are smaller than their counterparts. The male 2.5 meters in length weighs about 300 kg, and the female 1.5 meters up to 100 kg. Females and males differ from each other even in color: dark brown in sea lions and silver in lionesses.

Animals are located along the shores of Australia, the nearest islands. They do not migrate and adhere to the places on which they were originally based even outside the breeding season. The longest migration distance was no more than three hundred kilometers.

According to their behavior during the mating season, the subspecies of lions does not differ from direct relatives. When males come to a herd of females, they win the right to the harem they like. Clashes constantly occur in herds because of young males who want to get someone else's lioness. The males of the Australian lion are highly aggressive; they, like "jealous", guard their females so that they do not leave their habitat. With special enthusiasm, other males are driven away, sometimes it comes to slaughter.

An individual of this species is considered to be very rare. There are only twelve thousand sea lions.

New zealand

A predatory mammal from the family of eared seals. The skin is colored black with a brownish tint. Thanks to the mane on the shoulders, they look quite large up to 2.5 m, females up to 1.8 m. Distributed on the subtropical islands near New Zealand. The name of the subspecies indicates their territorial location. Most often found in Auckland.

The behavior is no different from other subspecies of sea lions. They also arrange fights in mating season and protect their grief from the "hungry" young. The most agile and tenacious individuals win, the rest are pushed into unpromising places.

There are about fifteen thousand New Zealand lions. In the 19th century, the animals were caught by fishermen and massacred. In almost several decades, the number has decreased by five times. These individuals are first mentioned in 1806. Today they are under protection.

Interesting facts about sea lions

Interesting Sea Lion Facts:

  • animals have a hoarse and rather harsh, rough voice;
  • in Japan, there is a male who has a very thin and gentle voice, which is unusual for sea lions. Visitors to the aquarium come to listen to his songs;
  • mammals are real intellectuals and actors;
  • communicate with each other with a certain set of sounds. With the same sounds they warn each other about danger;
  • most often, Californian lions have a tendency to get lung worm disease. Even 50 years ago, it led to the death of animals;
  • by law, it is allowed to catch animals for zoos and circus performances. Also, marine inhabitants participate in medical experiments due to their skill to hold their breath for a long time under water;
  • the animal's dental jaw has the same canonical shape and is adapted to capture slippery food.

Sea lions are noteworthy. The most interesting pinnipeds can be seen in aquariums and circuses. There they are trained and safe for people. However, in the wild, it's best not to try to pet their fur. It is fraught with sad consequences.

Seals, sea lions and walruses are ocean mammals in the pinniped group (Seals). Seals are not as close to water as whales. Seals need compulsory rest on land.

The seals are related but found in different taxonomic families.

  • The so-called Earless (true) seals are members of the Phocidae family.
  • Sea lions and seals are members of the Otariidae family.
  • Walruses belong to the Morzhov family.

The main difference between earless and eared seals is their ears.

  • Sea lions have outer ear flaps. These folds of skin are designed to keep water from entering the ear when the seal swims or dives.
  • "True" seals have no outer ears at all. Necessary get very close to them to see tiny holes on the sides of the seal's sleek head.

Another difference between seal groups is their rear flippers:

In real seals, the rear flippers do not bend or tuck forward, but only backward. This prevents them from "walking" on the ground. They move on land with undulating body movements.

Sea lions (seals and sea lions) can move on land using their hind legs (flippers).

Third difference:

Fourth difference:

  • Sea lions are noisy animals.
  • Real seals are much quieter - their vocalization resembles a soft grunt.

There are 18 species of real seals and 16 species of eared seals.

The largest representative of real seals is the southern sea ​​Elephant... A massive male, weighing up to 8500 pounds. (3 855.5 kg). The female elephant seal is much lighter but still weighs more than a 2,000 lb (907.18 kg) car.

Males measure about 20 feet (6 meters) in length, with a female about half the length.

The smallest representative of true (earless) seals is the seal. The seal has an average body length of 5 feet (1.5 m) and a weight of 110 to 150 pounds (that's 50 to 70 kg). Unlike other seals, male and female seals are about the same size.

The seal is the most abundant seal species in the Arctic, according to a study by the National Oceanic and atmospheric phenomena(NOAA).

Of the 16 species of eared seals, seven are sea lion species.

One of the most known species, according to NOAA, is considered the California sea lion. In the wild, these animals live along west coast North America. They can often be seen basking on beaches and marinas.

Males average about 700 pounds (315 kg) and can reach weights in excess of 1000 pounds (455 kg). Females weigh 240 pounds (110 kg) on ​​average.

Seal habitat (seal)

True seals usually live in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean and off the coast of Antarctica.

Harp (harp seal), ringed seal (akiba), Icelandic hooded seal, sea hare (bearded seal), spotted seal (larga), bearded walrus and lionfish live in the Arctic.

Crab Eater, Weddell, sea ​​leopard and Ross seals - live in Antarctica.

Seals and sea lions live in the North Pacific Ocean between Asia and North America, and off the coast of South America, Antarctica, Southwest Africa and southern Australia. They can spend about two years in the open ocean before returning to their breeding ground.

Some seals make caves in the snow. Others never leave the ice and pierce breathing holes in the ice.

What do seals eat?

Seals mainly prey on fish, but they also eat eels, squid, octopuses, and lobsters.

Leopard seals are capable of eating penguins and small seals.

The gray seal is capable of eating up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of food per day. He sometimes skips meals for several days in a row, and lives off the energy of stored fat. And often completely stops feeding - during the mating season does not feed for several weeks.

All pinnipeds - from true (earless) seals to eared seals (sea lions) and walruses (with odobenids tusks) - are carnivores. Their relationship is associated with dogs, coyotes, foxes, wolves, skunks, otters and bears.

How does Belki appear?

When mating season arrives, male seals will emit deep guttural sounds to attract the attention of the females. The male seal also calls out other males to a duel with the help of sounds.

Seals are very territorial animals when it comes to mating. They will fight for the right to mate, hit and bite each other. The winner gets the opportunity to mate with 50 females in their area.

The female's pregnancy lasts about 10 months. When they feel that it is time to give birth, some of them dig their nests in the sand, where they have cubs. Other seals lay their children directly on the iceberg, in the snow.

Squirrels are called seal puppies.

Seals and sea lions only have one puppy per year. Mother squirrels will be fed on the ground until they are covered with waterproof fur. This may take about 1 month.

Females will mate and become pregnant again as soon as her squirrel leaves the breast.

Males are not capable of mating until they reach the age of 8 years because they need big enough height and enough strength to win a fight for the right to mate.

Several other facts about seals

All pinnipeds - seals, sea lions and walruses - are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Most seals are not considered endangered according to the Red List The International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

However, there are a few exceptions.

The Caribbean seal was declared extinct in 2008.

  • The Galapagos Cat and Monk Seal are both endangered.
  • Some local groups such as gray seals in the Baltic Sea are also at risk.
  • Northern fur seals and hooded seals are also vulnerable.

Northern seals, Baikal seals and Ursula seals are also vulnerable animals. They are being bred at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

The Crabeater seal, among the species of seals, has the most large population in the world. It is estimated that there are up to 75 million individuals.

The Sea Elephant has what is called "smoker's blood" - it has the same amount of carbon monoxide in its blood as a person who smokes 40 or more cigarettes a day. Scientists believe that this high level of blood gas protects them as they dive into the deep levels of the ocean.

Harp seals can remain submerged for up to 15 minutes.

The results of the Weddell Seals are even more impressive. Their record for staying underwater is 80 minutes. They only float to trap air when they find holes in the layers of ice over the ocean.

The Farallones Bay of California's National Marine Sanctuary is home to one-fifth of the world's seals. These marine mammals are believed to have found a safe haven within the sanctuary.

The wilderness of the North of Scotland is so amazing that it needs a separate heading! Tourists often ask the question: " Seals and fur seals- is it the same, or is there a difference between them? "So first I will answer this question without going into unnecessary details ... And then I will briefly dwell on what is really important to know about our wild Scottish seals ...
AND seals, and fur seals , together with sea lions, walruses and seals, belong to Pinniped... That is, the paws of these mammals, in accordance with their lifestyle, were transformed into fins. They live and hunt in the sea, and crawl out onto land only during molting and for the production of offspring. However, there is still a difference: seals and sea lions belong to the Eared seal family, since they have small auricles, and seals and seals belonging to the family of True seals there are only small auditory holes.

There are other differences associated with the structure of the hind limbs, as well as "furry", but all these anatomical nuances can hardly be of serious interest to tourists. I will say more to family of True seals (that is, earless!) are, according to the Wikipedia article, elephant seal and leopard seal! Well, isn't it a paradox?
In Germany, according to my German colleague, seals are called sea dogs! Therefore, I propose our democratic;) British version! Here all pinnipeds are called seals , which in translation means simply seals .

In the north of Scotland, in the bays of the North Sea, only Gray Seals and Common Seals... Both those and others belong to the family of True seals th, however, there are differences between them.

Although it is unlikely that when you meet, you will be able to distinguish one from the other, even if you know that: Common seals (OT) reach 1.8 m in length and weigh about 180 kg, and Gray seals (ST) - 2.5 m and 300 kg. Color is also not a guiding feature, as it is different when dry, and so is mottling. OT has smaller spots, but there are much more of them. Moreover, both species can appear in the same place, they are not at enmity. The information that in the OT the nostrils have a pronounced V-shape is hardly helpful, while in the CT they are at the same level and do not converge at the base. The information about the more elongated muzzle of the PT and the smaller head with a less convex forehead in the OT will help just as little. In short, when they are in the water, it is extremely difficult to distinguish them!

The main thing is that all these cute animals, although they belong to squad of Predatory, feed exclusively on fish, lobsters and molluscs, and therefore, despite their impressive size, they do not pose a danger to humans, although they can scare.

Watching them is a sheer pleasure, and even for greater pleasure, it is advisable to know at least a little about their habits. Moreover, it is they that make it possible to distinguish one from the other.

For example, OT, being on land, bend its tails, as it were, "dry", and resemble bananas in shape. In addition, guarding their individual space, they use more aggressive forms of behavior: shake their heads, growl, bite their flippers and wave them with all their might to scare the enemy.

You can see seals in our area throughout the year. They come close to the shore during high tides, which bring a lot with them. sea ​​fish... And at this time, OT and ST can stick together. However, for molting OTs return to the ground from August to September, and STs from February to April... Reproduction also has its own story: FROM looking for suitable places for this delicate process IN SUMMER - from June to August, and ST - in AUTUMN, from September to December... These are usually offshore islands and caves where the young can be protected from predators. Mothers feed their young for only four weeks, during which time they double their weight. At the end of the month, the mothers perceive the seals as adults.

By the way, cubs also distinguish OT from ST. OT seals are born in tidal zone or directly at sea. They have a full adult seal hide, so they can swim and dive with ease from birth. Mothers play a lot with their babies and even roll them on their backs. ST cubs are born on the ground, dressed in a long white "robe", and therefore do not enter the water until the moment of molting. Therefore, if you remember this detail and see baby seals at certain times of the year, then you can easily show your expertise!

Try to identify which juvenile seals appear in the short video clips I captured with my mobile during my recent walk in the bay:

However, if for tourists seals are an object of affection, for fish farms they can become a real disaster! When trying to steal fish from fishing nets, they often cause serious damage. Thus, as elsewhere, the well-known philosophical rule “what is good for one person may be extremely bad for another” works here!

As always, I will be grateful for your comments and questions that help me learn even more! By the way, the white seal, the most popular souvenir here, was my favorite toy as a child. It happens!

P.S. All the maps in the pictures show destinations with reference to the city of Forres where I live. However, for individual tours, I meet guests at the airport of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.

HOSTGA - Highlands Of Scotland Tour Guide Association

Seals are a group of animals that includes two families: true seals and eared seals... Outwardly, they are very similar: a torpedo-shaped streamlined body, the limbs are transformed into flippers, they live on the sea coast, they swim well and feed on fish. However, their origins are different. The ancestors of eared seals are bears, and real seals descended from ancient weasels. Thus, a group of seals - polyphyletic, that is, representatives descended from different ancestors belong to it.

The eared seal family includes two subfamilies: fur seals and sea lions. As you can imagine, neither those nor the others have anything to do with felines. It is believed that seals got this name either because of their luxurious mustache, or because of their thick fur. And sea lions are like the king of beasts with their growl.

How to distinguish real seals from eared seals? First of all, as the name says, eared seals have well-shaped, well-visible auricles - a kind of funny little tubes on the sides of their heads. Real seals do not have external auricles, for which they are sometimes called earless. Just don't think that real seals are deaf! They have inner ears, and they hear perfectly. And during diving, the ear canal is closed by a special muscle so that water does not get into it.

How else do real seals differ from eared seals? By way of movement on land and in water.

Eared seals have long front flippers on which they lean when moving on land. At the same time, the rear fins are bent forward. On the ground, eared seals move quite quickly, jumping, pushing off the ground with their flippers.

Real seals do not know how to do this, because their hind flippers do not tuck back. And their front fins are much shorter than the rear ones. Therefore, on land, real seals are rather helpless and clumsy: they can only crawl on their belly using wave-like movements like caterpillars: first they cling to the ground with their claws, then pull the back of the body, and then push the front of the body forward and pull the back to it. Eared seals do not need to cling to the ground with their claws when moving on it, so you will not see claws on their powerful flippers.

Real and eared seal fins

In the water, real seals swim due to the movements of the rear flippers, and the eared ones - the front ones, using the rear ones as a rudder.

Subfamilies of seals and cover differ. Real seals have short hair, and some species have no coat at all. Eared seals have thick hair, hard hair.

The habitats of eared and real seals do not overlap: real seals live mainly in the Arctic and on the coast of Antarctica, and seals and sea lions - in the North Pacific Ocean between Asia and North America, off the coast of South America, Antarctica, South-West Africa and southern Australia.

Real seals


Newborn baby seals are covered in white fur, which is why they are called seals.
Photo: baby harp seal

Eared seals


Steller sea lion (Steller's northern sea lion)


Northern fur seal (fur seal)

With eared and earless seals sorted out. And how can you distinguish between "eared" - a fur seal from a sea lion?

Sea lions are larger animals than seals. But the differences in the size of females and males (sexual dimorphism) are more pronounced in fur seals, in which females are much fewer males... Compare yourself. The largest representative of sea lions, the sea lion, reaches a length of 3-3.5 m and a mass of 500-1000 kg. In female sea lions, the body length reaches 260 cm, the average weight is 350 kg. In northern fur seals living next to sea lions, males reach a maximum length of 2.2 meters and a weight of 320 kg, while females grow to a maximum of 1.4 meters, and their maximum weight is only 70 kg.

Fur seals and sea lions also differ in the strategy of preparing for the winter: seals accumulate a thick layer of subcutaneous fat by autumn, and sea lions warm themselves in winter due to their fur. Although it should be noted that the fur of the sea lion is short and not very thick, moreover, it lacks a lush undercoat, like fur of seals, therefore it is less valued. So seals, one might say, were unlucky compared to sea lions: their fat and luxurious fur made them an object of mass fishery.

By the way...

In episode 9 of season 7 of the TV series "House Doctor" there is such a dialogue between the girl Daisy and her dad, whose name is Jack:

Daisy: What "s the difference between a sea lion and a seal?
Jack: Um, seals tell the truth, but a sea lion "s always lyin"?
Daisy: A sea lion has ears.
Jack: Yeah, that "s right. I forgot.

Translation:

Daisy: What is the difference between a sea lion and a seal?
Jack: HM. Seals tell the truth, and sea lions always lie? ( play on words: lie - lie, lion - lion).
Daisy: The sea lion has ears!
Jack: Yes, exactly, I just forgot.

At first glance, it may seem that absolutely all seals are the same - the representatives are so similar to each other. different types... And yet, looking closely, you can easily distinguish individuals belonging to different groups... Ears are the trait that biologists use to distinguish between true seals and eared seals.

The classification is based on the main hallmark... Common seals do not have auricles raised above the skull.

Instead of ears, the common seal has two neat rounded holes. Nature has taken great care to give the seal's body maximum streamlining, allowing it to swim at amazing speed.

Eared seals, to which the fur seal belongs, according to scientists, descended from a different ancestor than real seals. The ancestors of the common seal were mammals belonging to the mustelids, the eared seal - a descendant of an animal from the canine family.

Fur seals and common seals, despite their different ancestors, in the process of evolution acquired incredibly similar features. And yet, the difference in origin is reflected in the habits inherent in representatives of two different families.

Just look at how they behave on land pinniped mammals fur seal and common seal.

The similarity of animals is expressed in the following:

    Both representatives of the families are pinnipeds, leading marine image life.

    External appearance: the mass and size of the body of seals and seals are approximately the same.

    Streamlined body contours - the life of animals is inextricably linked with water.

Differences between common and eared seals:

    On the shore, eared seals behave more actively, common seals, as a rule, just lie heavily, move little.

    The body of the common seal is ideally adapted for swimming.

    A seal, unlike a fur seal, can be under water for a long time - almost 20 minutes.

    Fur seals have the best hearing and keen eyesight.