Seals and Sea Lions

The seals, sea lions, fur seals and walrus are all members of a group of marine mammals called "Pinnipeds". The word "pinniped" means "feather foot", "wing foot" or "web foot", and refers to the webbed flipper seals and sea lions use for locomotion. Flippers have bones, muscle and cartilage and are quite mobile, unlike fins, which are without muscle or bones and are generally immobile. Like whales and dolphins, pinnipeds are voluntary breathers. This means that they must actively think about every breath they take. At rest the nostrils are pinched shut, and open only when the animal exhales and inhales.

Pinnipeds have long, sensitive whiskers called "vibrissae", which they use to locate and identify objects, food and each other. The vibrissae are so sensitive that they can feel the movements of fish in the water. Pinnipeds feed on a wide variety of fish and invertebrates including, sardine, anchovy, herring, flatfish, squid and octopus.

Encounters between pinnipeds and man have historically ended rather badly for the pinnipeds. Fisherman view them as competitors for fish, and sea lions and seals often become tangled in, or damage fishing nets and gear. Fur seals have been heavily hunted for their thick, warm fur.