15 Facts About Pinnipeds

Pinnipeds, commonly known as seals, are a widely distributed and diverse clade of carnivorous, fin-footed, semiaquatic, mostly marine mammals.

Pinnipeds have well-developed senses—their eyesight and hearing are adapted for both air and water, and they have an advanced tactile system in their whiskers or vibrissae.

Pinnipeds belong to the order Carnivora and the suborder Caniformia.

Pinnipeds have streamlined, spindle-shaped bodies with reduced or non-existent external ear flaps, rounded heads, flexible necks, limbs modified into flippers, and small tails.

Pinnipeds are typically countershaded, and are darker colored dorsally and lighter colored ventrally, which serves to eliminate shadows caused by light shining over the ocean water.

Pinnipeds have a simple stomach that is similar in structure to terrestrial carnivores.

Pinnipeds have two pairs of flippers on the front and back, the fore-flippers and hind-flippers.

Pinnipeds can move around on land, though not as well as terrestrial animals.

Pinnipeds appear to have limited color vision, as they lack S-cones.

Pinnipeds conserve heat with their large and compact body size, insulating blubber and fur, and high metabolism.

Pinnipeds spend many months at a time at sea, so they must sleep in the water.

Pinnipeds have an amphibious lifestyle; they spend most of their lives in the water, but haul out to mate, raise young, molt, rest, thermoregulate or escape from aquatic predators.

Pinnipeds can produce a number of vocalizations such as barks, grunts, rasps, rattles, growls, creaks, warbles, trills, chirps, chugs, clicks and whistles.

Pinnipeds is depicted as a mermaid, occasionally with a seal's lower body.

Pinnipeds can be found in facilities around the world, as their large size and playfulness make them popular attractions.