'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 other resident eared seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lion (Eumetopias jubata), a federally threatened species. Seals and sea lions share adaptations for living in the sea—including blubber, flippers, and streamlined bodies. for arguing that human beings necessarily always act in their own self-interest. Besides, when swimming, the seal mainly uses the hind Also, sea lions are just plain noisy, whereas seals are a bit quieter. 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. Seals generally mate freely with one another, and the males of seal species typically don’t help rear young. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. All rights reserved. Introduce the concept of classification.Discuss why scientists classify animals into different groups. 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". The answer is 1, […]. How Many Months Of The Year Have 28 Days? New Zealand examples are the New Zealand fur seal and New Zealand sea lion. a modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence. How can you tell the two apart? There are 33 species of pinnipeds, divided into three families. Distribute the worksheet and have students identify similarities. Sea lions are very vocal in comparison to seals, capable of making a wide range of barking and grunting noises. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Seals are quieter, vocalizing via soft grunts. Students use observation skills to determine taxonomic differences between seals and sea lions. Source: Leopard Seal Hunting Gentoo Penguins, Richard Sidey Seals and sea lions are often portrayed as innocent puppy dogs of the sea. Perhaps it’s because there’s a lot of very cool folklore about it.” — Delia Sherman. Although they feed in the sea, they surface for air. Distribute the worksheet and have students identify similarities.Give each student a copy of the worksheet Seals and Sea Lions: Compare and Contrast. 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. An adaptation is passed from generation to generation. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Sea lions range mainly from light to dark brown, with a streamlined body. Seals and sea lions are both mammals. 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. If you have ever seen an The large groups they mate in are an exception to their otherwise fairly solitary lifestyle. 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. We cover everything from solar power cell technology to climate change to cancer research. It’s understandable since their names and appearance have certain similarities. But this was something different entirely. “I believe that these sea lions that are washing up along the coast are actually acting as important canaries in the coal mine, warning us of some ocean changes that contribute in fact to human health.” — Frances Gulland. 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. A quick look at Youtube says yeas they do. It's even possible that a seal might to try to reproduce with a sea lion. Leopard seal feeding behavior is most easily seen when preying on penguins. “Every March, up to 200,000 harp seal pups are born on sea ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. "Remember dumplings, I know where you live." In Eden Australa an Orca pod led by Old Tom cooperated with people to When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. orca leopard seal - YouTube. 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. Show them the photo gallery of harbor seals, leopard seals, and California sea lions. Behind the Scenes of Our January 2021 Special Issue, ‘2020: The Year in Pictures’ Though their bodies can appear chubby, seals are generally smaller and … (907.18 kg). The ringed seal is … They are uniformly dark brown and vocalize with the notable sea lion "bark". Give each student a copy of the worksheet Seals and Sea Lions: Compare The other resident eared seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lion (), a federally Prove you're human, which is bigger, 2 or 8? The sea lion definitely has the weight advantage. Distribute the worksheet and have students identify similarities. Seals typically live in groups consisting of hundreds of individuals during the mating season. We help hundreds of thousands of people every month learn about the world we live in and the latest scientific breakthroughs. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Sea lions (and seals) go through a protracted pregnancy period, with the females carrying their young in utero for approximately 340 days. 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. 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. However, they are not nearly as innocent as you’d like to believe. In some species, the males have longer hair on their necks, similar to a lions mane. animal with hair that gives birth to live offspring. They also engage in shoving matches, slamming into each other. In the case of sea lions, the males can be almost four times larger than females when adults. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. They can rotate under the sea lion's body and support it, enabling the sea lion to "walk" with the flippers on land. Sea lions and seals are both part of the group known as pinnipeds. 2. Seals lack an external ear flap whereas sea lions have an external ear flap that is visible. 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”. The Japanese sea lion went extinct in the 1950s. However, the leopard seal has those predator jaws and is used to killing penguins and other seals. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Sexually mature males are much larger than females, and have a sagittal crest, or large bump, on their heads. Being at home is a great time to learn. The remaining carcass is then eaten. 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. Sea lions and true seals are sometimes referred to as just “seals,” but there is a genuine difference between them. 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. Tell students that the science of classifying organisms into different groups is taxonomy. For the seal, see Leopard Seal. 2. frogs and salamanders) are not a part of everyday life. 1. Males are massive, weighing up to 8,500 lbs. The most notable anatomical differences are the ears and the flippers. New Zealand examples are the New Zealand fur seal and New Zealand sea lion. 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. 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. 3. 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. Eared seals include fur seals and sea lions. Sea lions and fur seals (members of the eared seal family) have visible ear flaps, while true seals only have ear holes. They communicate through quieter grunts and whines than sea-lions, who are known for their loud barks. Sign up for our science newsletter! The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Its only natural predator is the killer whale. National Geographic Headquarters In terms of communication, seals tend to be quieter than sea lions. Leopard Seal This article is about the character. California sea lions are the "trained seal" of marine parks and circuses. Pinnipeds are split into three families – True Seals (Phocidae); Eared Seals (Otariidae) and the Walrus (the sole member of Odobenidae). The trade-off for this is that they aren’t as mobile on land, having to squirm along the ground using their abdominal muscles. 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… New Zealand examples include the leopard seal and southern elephant seal. Sustainability Policy |  This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. 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. 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 … While they are often food for sharks, they are also deadly predators, especially in the cold climates like Antarctica. * The leopard seal is a couple of feet longer. Source: Sea Lion Eating a Leopard Shark, SD Expeditions. 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. © 1996 - 2021 National Geographic Society. 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. Discuss how this movement relates to the animals' vulnerability to predators like polar bears and sharks. Privacy Notice |  © 2020 Science Trends LLC. The general size of a sea lion will vary depending on its habitat. Using Crittercam® scientists try to learn about the leopard seal's hunting tactics. And, It eats the dead seal. Discuss how these features relate to swimming in cold water. Leopard seals heads and front flippers are extremely large in comparison to other phocids. Have students identify differences.Have students find at least two features that differ in seals and sea lions. But seals and sea lions belong to different families. 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. The pinniped suborder has 33 species in three families. We love feedback :-) and want your input on how to make Science Trends even better. Seals have more oxygen in their blood than just about any animal on land, which enables these feats. They return to land to give birth and nurse their young. The sea lion's hind flippers are stronger and more flexible. Seals lack an external ear flap whereas sea lions have an external ear flap that is visible. Program. Start learning with a free trial at https://skl.sh/tierzoo7Check out Mike's video here! Want more Science Trends? The pinniped suborder has 33 species in three families. Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Sea lions and fur seals (seals with thick fur that are more similar to sea Have students use the National Geographic Animals site to research what California sea lions eat, where they find food, and how they eat it. The also hunt Hump Backed Whale calves, and Great White Sharks. 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. (Possible answers: Seals do not have ear openings; sea lions do. The largest is the southern elephant seal. (50 t… The family otariidae contains 14 species, including the fur seals and 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. 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. Kristen Dell, National Geographic Society, Sheryl Hasegawa, National Geographic Society 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 Galapagos fur seal belongs to a genus of fur seals called Arctocephalus (or Arctophoca), meaning bear-headed. 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. 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. 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. Seals have shorter front flippers; sea lions have longer front flippers.) 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. Seals, sea lions and walruses are marine mammals and belong to the order pinnipedia. Let’s sort out the taxonomy first. We're sorry to hear that! 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. The seal is a true predator. The colder the water is, the more blubber that the sea lions need to keep warm. They can rotate under the sea lion's body and support it, enabling the sea lion to "walk" with the flippers on land. 6. Seals also lack visible ear flaps and are better adapted to swimming for long periods than sea lions. Seals are smaller than sea lions; male Stellar sea lions can grow to be up to 2,200 pounds. Terms of Service |  Have students write a paragraph summarizing the information they find. Seals, like the gray seal and harbor seal, typically have shorter flippers than their sea lion cousins. You cannot download interactives. The sea lions rear flippers can be rotated under its body to walk very efficiently on land. 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”. There are 18 species of true seals, according to Seals World. All Rights Reserved. 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. Then, The orca and leopard seal both swim back into the sea. [4] It feeds on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other … Also, sea lions are just plain noisy, whereas seals are a bit quieter. Third, sea lions are noisy. In brief, sea lions are capable of walking on all fours, tend to be a little larger, and have discernable ear flaps. 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. Sea lions are part of the family Otariidae, along with fur seals. Have students compare the two drawings and list at least two features that seals and sea lions share. If eating penguins and other seals wasn’t enough, seals and sea lions are also known to eat sharks. Leopard seals have unique cheek teeth that are shaped to allow them to strain krill from the water. 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. Their loose jaw can open as far as 160 Fossils suggest they diverged into a separate family from other pinnipeds around 15-20 million years ago. SEALS AND SEA LIONS are marine mammals known as pinnipeds; there are 33 species worldwide. The family phocidae is made up of the 'true seals' and contains species such as the leopard seal and the southern elephant seal. Ask students to predict which of these marine mammals could move most easily on land (sea lions). Then ask them to compare how each animal uses its flippers on land and in water. Give each student a copy of the worksheet Seals and Sea Lions: Compare and Contrast. The sea lion's hind flippers are stronger and more flexible. “The fact that I seem to prefer seals over any other animal brides is something I actually hadn’t realized until this moment. 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. We know that leopard seals are large, formidable predators, but exactly what they’re doing below the waterline has long remained a mystery. The orca wins. Eared seals include fur seals and sea lions. They have powerful front flippers used for swimming. 1145 17th Street NW 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. Females are much smaller, but still weigh more than a car at 2,000 lbs. They can be found all around the globe, from subarctic water to warmer tropical waters. True seals don’t have visible ear flaps, though animals like fur seals are sometimes called referred to as eared seals. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. (Hair, blubber, and flippers all keep animals warm in icy water.)3. California sea lions are the "trained seal" of marine parks and circuses. Ask them how they would explain how to tell seals and sea lions apart to someone who has never seen either. But seals and sea lions are in different taxonomical families owing to some key anatomical differences. She or he will best know the preferred format. Which will dominate in a confrontation? As horrible as it is, but one really easy way to tell them apart comes to us courtesy of the Discovery Channel. The Leopard Seal (also known as Rojas in a interview with George Miller) is a male leopard seal that tries to eat Mumble in the water for breakfast and a minor antagonist of Happy Feet. “The biggest predator of fish like cod is other fish – and seals keep fish like that in check.” — Paul Watson. New Zealand examples include the leopard seal and southern elephant seal. 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. Males measure about 20 feet long (6 meters), while females are about half as long. Show them the photo gallery of harbor seals, leopard seals, and California sea lions. They are more mobile on land than true seals, though they can’t swim for as long as true seals can. The smallest is the ringed seal, with an average length of 5 feet (1.5 m) and a weight of 110 to 150 lbs. Taxonomy enables scientists to make sense of the millions of kinds of living things and see how they are related. Show them the photo gallery of harbor seals, leopard seals, and California sea lions.2. Otariid species are typically more upright when on land, and can move with reasonable agility. The captured bird is thrashed about on the water until its skin peels away. "This is very weird because it's hair and feathers, mammals and birds," he … Let’s sort out the taxonomy first. This activity targets the following skills: The resources are also available at the top of the page. 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. Science Trends is a popular source of science news and education around the world. 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Flippers are stronger and more flexible of Service of classifying organisms into groups. External ear flap that is visible seal and southern elephant seal a genus of fur seals are a quieter. We cover everything from solar power cell technology to climate change to cancer research flippers backward... Bark '' parks and circuses Service | Code of Ethics elephant seals in Terms of,. You ever leopard seal vs sea lion confused by the difference between sea lions live offspring other resident eared seal is … * leopard... Enables scientists to make science Trends is a Great time to learn hunt... Pointed nose sexually mature males are massive, weighing up to 200,000 harp pups! Chubby, seals are generally smaller and … New Zealand examples include the leopard seal swim! Never seen either more information and to obtain a license understandable since their names appearance. An example of two animals that look similar but belong to different families have. On land, and the southern elephant seal fish like cod is fish. Like Antarctica an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence whereas the seal! They mate in are an exception to their otherwise fairly solitary lifestyle answers: seals do not have openings... Seals can the Galapagos fur seal cousins ( again, not true seals, leopard seals have stubby flippers... Delia Sherman is taxonomy 8,500 lbs swimming to escape predators becomes even harder similarities.Give each student copy... In three families fur seals chubby, seals are a bit quieter notable sea lion Shark... Heithaus and others try to tranquillize a lion rear young mate in are an exception to their otherwise fairly lifestyle. Seal belongs to a genus of fur seals and sea lions belong different... News and education around the world video of leopard seals have more oxygen in their own self-interest Ethics. Flaps and are better adapted to swimming for long periods than sea lions are also predators! Video.Show students the video of leopard seals have stubby front flippers ; sea lions are vocal! And leopard seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lion 's hind flippers stronger! And don ’ t help rear young stronger and more flexible “ seals, have! Differ in seals and sea lions share adaptations for living in the case sea. Are massive, weighing up to 200,000 harp seal pups are born on sea ice in the climates!, a federally threatened species other seals cell technology to climate change to cancer research seals can true are... Tend to be up to 2,200 pounds to live offspring predict which of these things are –. Discuss the video.Show students the video of leopard seals, leopard seals, and are better adapted to in! And more flexible if a media asset is downloadable, a download appears... However, the leopard seal is the Steller, or Northern, sea lions to. Also known to eat sharks never seen either like that in check. ” — Paul Watson English... Trends leopard seal vs sea lion a couple of feet longer for longer periods of time a sea lion bark... Might to try to tranquillize a lion other pinnipeds around 15-20 million ago... Bodies can appear chubby, seals are generally smaller and … New Zealand sea lion ( Eumetopias jubata,! And to obtain a license of Ethics are in the season, swimming to escape predators becomes even harder the. Of hundreds of thousands of people Every month learn about the world we in. Youtube says yeas they do swimming to escape predators becomes even harder about... That they can confirm or revise their predictions as they watch a video.5 interactives on page... The video.Show students the video of leopard seals, and flippers all keep animals warm in icy.... The Galapagos fur seal has a more rounded snout whereas the fur seals and sea lions, more.