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Previous Issues > January 2007 > Wildville! > The Seal
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 Wildville!
The Seal
Seal
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Pinnipedia
Family: Phocidae or
Otariidae
Genus: 17 different genera
 Seals are marine mammals. That means they live in the ocean like fish, but breathe air and nurse their babies. They live in areas all over the world, but the largest number live in the oceans around the North and South Poles. Seals have a layer of blubber, or fat, under their skins to keep them warm in cold weather. Seals are carnivores (meat eaters). They eat fish, squid, clams and crabs. The leopard seal of Antarctica eats seabirds and penguins.
Seals come in many different sizes. The smallest seals are the Baikal seals from Siberia. They grow up to 4.6 feet long and weigh from 110 to 290 pounds. The largest seals are elephant seals that live along the west coast of South America. They grow up to 21 feet long and weigh as much as 8,150 pounds!
There are 32 different kinds of seals. Scientists have divided the seals into two families, Phocidae and Otariidae. Phocidae seals are also called true, or earless seals. These seals have inner ears, which means that you cannot see their ears. They speak by using grunts and slapping the water. Elephant seals and monk seals of Hawaii are true seals. Phocidae seals are good swimmers but have trouble moving on land. Otariidae seals are called eared seals because you can see their ears. They talk by barking and roaring. Sea lions and furred seals are part of the Otariidae family. They have short fur on their skins and can use all their flippers to move on land.
Seals live mostly in the water but come on land once a year to give birth. Baby harp seals have a white, furry coat at birth. The seals lose this coat as they grow up.
Ashley Genova is a contributing writer from Fayetteville, NC. Sources: Britannica Encyclopedia Online. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9066472; Wikipedia, Seals.
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