Pinnipeds (Seals)

ocean · mammals · flippers

Fin feet. The name 'pinniped' actually means 'fin-footed.' Their flippers help them zoom through the water like underwater rockets.

Two homes. Pinnipeds are semiaquatic, which means they spend time both swimming in the sea and resting on land or ice.

Three families. They split into three living groups: walruses, eared seals (like sea lions), and true seals. That's 34 species alive today!

Surprising cousins. Their closest living relatives are musteloids, the group that includes otters and weasels. They split apart about 50 million years ago.

Meat eaters. Pinnipeds belong to the order Carnivora, so they hunt fish, squid, and other sea creatures for meals.