Comparison Of Sea Lion And Seals

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While attending an animal show at a zoo, the keeper will typically inform the audience of the animal’s life, habitat and give facts of its overall nature. One of the first topics most keepers address to the audience is the specific differences between any other creatures that the show animal could be confused with. While attending the Sea Lion’s Cove Show at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, I was informed of the many difference that set Seals and Sea Lions apart. Seals and Sea Lion are often confused with each other because of their many similarities, however these mammals are also very differences, and have great distinctions that set them apart. Some similarities include their diets, predators and status of species endangerment, as their differences…show more content…
Just as the seal, the sea lion is preyed upon. For weighing between 700-800+ pounds, these mammals are targeted by polar bear, bears, orcas, sharks and humans. Despite the fact that both are preyed upon by the same predators, they have acquired completely different strategies to avoid becoming lunch. The seal, being more comfortable in the water rather than on land, will swim quickly to avoid its attacker like the polar bear and bears. The sea lion, who is not as swift in the water, can easily avoid the sharks and orcas by simply getting out of the water. The life expectancy of a sea lion is much more than that of the seal. The average wild life expectance of a sea lion is roughly 30 years, whereas the seal’s averages anywhere between 12 to 30…show more content…
Despite their similar body structures, these mammals are actually very different. While both mammals are fin-footed the sea lion is more flexible on land, then the seal. The sea lions have longer-more flexible fins that allow them not only get on to land more easily, but to move quicker and more gracefully as well. Whereas the seal, who’s fins are much shorter, struggles a bit more to get onto land and has more of a crawl rather than a walk as the sea lion. Another main physical difference is their ears; mostly being the seal’s lack of visible ears. Unlike sea lions, the seal does not have ears that are visibly. They simply have two small holes one on each side of their head. The Sea Lion’s ears on the other hand are small but they are noticeable. And lastly the smallest difference in both the seal and sea lion appearance is the visibility of claws and hair. Being the smaller of the two and not having the best mobility on land the seal is surprisingly the one that has hair and

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