Pinnipeds

Pinnipeds are large, blubbery animals with doglike faces, long, sleek bodies, four flippers instead of legs, short fur, or no fur at all. There are 3 main groups of pinnipeds: True seals, eared seals, and walruses. True seals and walruses have no external ears, except for holes on the tops of their heads. Eared seals, such as fur seals and sea lions, have small earlobes. True seals' front flippers are too small to lift up the animals' bodies, and the hind flippers can only be carried behind the body. Eared seals and walruses can use their flippers as legs on land. True seals and walruses have more blubber, meaning that they can live in colder waters than eared seals.