Seals, walruses and sea lions are part of the suborder Pinnipedia, but belong to different families: Phocidae (seals), Odobenidae (walruses) and Otariidae (seal lions). All three are mammals highly adapted to living in the sea. “Walruses are the only ones not found in Brazil”, says biologist André Fabiano de Castro Vicente, from the Center for Studies on Stranding of Marine Mammals (CEEMAM). Although similar, these animals have several differences. Walruses are unmistakable thanks to the pair of teeth projecting downwards. They are divided into two subspecies: the Atlantic walrus and the Pacific walrus, which live exclusively in the Arctic Circle.
The seals, in turn, form a numerous group of aquatic mammals, and the species phoca vitulina, called the common seal, is the most abundant. It is also mostly found in the Arctic region. Like walruses, they live in colonies with dozens of individuals and are excellent swimmers, being able to stay submerged for up to 30 minutes. At first glance, certain species of sea lions look like seals, but they have some anatomical differences from them, such as small apparent ears, which their “cousins” do not have. “Locomotion is another point that differentiates the two. While seals use their hind flippers to swim and move on land by crawling, sea lions use their pectoral fins to swim and lean on them to walk on land,” says André Fabiano. There are five species of sea lions spread across the planet. In general, the seals that shine like circus stars are, in fact, sea lions of the species Zalophus californianus.
common seal (phoca vitulina)
Size: up to 1.8 meters
Weight: up to 170 kilos
The most common species of seal on the planet has a body completely covered with hair and does not have ears, with only a hole behind the eyes that connects with the ear. The variety of seal species is enormous. While some do not exceed 1 meter in length, others reach 6 meters, weighing more than 3 tons!
Sea lion (family Otariidae)
Size: up to 3.5 meters
Weight: up to 1 ton
Unlike the seal, he has small ears. Another characteristic that helps to differentiate the two are the fins, which are much larger in the sea lion. The males of most species have a type of mane, which ended up giving rise to the name of these animals, which feed on fish, crustaceans and molluscs.
Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)
Size: up to 3.7 meters
Weight: up to 1.2 ton
The measurements above, not at all slender, are from the big males, about a third larger than the females. But the hallmark of walruses is not their chubby biotype, but their upper canine teeth, which reach an incredible 1 meter in length and weigh 5.4 kilos each. Walruses live for about 30 years.
Elephant seal (genus Mirounga)
It belongs to the same family as seals (Phocidae), but it is the big one in this group, surpassing many whales in size. It has a strange snout that resembles a trunk. There are two species of elephant seal: Mirounga leonina, which lives in the southern hemisphere, and Mirounga angustirostris, found in the northern hemisphere.
sea leopard (Hydrurga leptonyx)
Another close relative of seals, but unlike the more famous members of the Phocidae family, the sea leopard (or leopard seal) does not live in groups. It got its name from its color, which varies from black to gray. Famous for its ferocity, it is the only species of seal that feeds on penguins.
Fur seal (genus Arctocephalus)
It’s part of the Otariidae family, so it’s a much closer relative of the sea lion than the seal. The monk seal, however, has no mane. It is found all over the planet – even in tropical regions – and some species often visit the Brazilian coast during the migratory period.