Pinnepeds

​Eared and earless seals

The family Pinnepeds is split in two with eared and earless seals. As the name suggests eared seals have obvious external ears whilst earless seals lack ear flaps and simply have holes. There is more then that between the two. Eared seals have rear flippers split to allow being tucked under body to walk and run on land. They also use their front flippers to propel themselves in the watwer.

Earless seals use rear flippers to proplel themselves in the water and land. Their rear flippers are fused (think mermaid tail) so on land they are awkward and slow. The following videos show both on land.
There are 34 species of seals including the walrus.

DIVING ADAPTATIONS


WEdell seals can dive 15 minutes or longer at depths of 1,300'. Longer dives record 73 minutes at 2,000'!
Northern elephant seals typically dive 20 minutes at 2,100/ but can reach depths of 4,900' for over an hour!!! Military subs max crush depth is 2,000 feet for comparison!!!!!

A CA sea lion walking on land. You can clearly see the rear flippers tucked under her. Can also see the ear flaps.

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​Eared seal

Good example of how awkward they are on land as they do not ude their flippers at all to move. Instead they bounce? along. Also cannot see ear flaps.

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​Earless seals

​smallest seal species

Found only in Lake Baikal in Russia. Also only freshwater seal. Only gets to 3' in length and max is 100lbs.

​Largest species

Largest species both in the family AND of all in the Carnivora order.
Males can get to 16'! And 7,100lbs!

​Pups hunted for fur

These cute pups are hunted each year for the fur trade. The US under pressure from our citizens has made hunting them and possesing their coats illegal but they are still hunted in Canada.

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1000's of these are hunted each year.

​This is a 2 month old harp seal

​Ringed seal

​Ferocious hunter of penguins

10 to 12' 84o lbs
Second largest seal species

​eared seal

Common zoo exhibit and used a lot in tv and movies. Also used in the military to find and disarm mines. Used for salvage and even search and rescue operations. Has been used in wars for classified stuff, usually blowing up enemy ships.