Pinnipeds

    The pinnipeds are a diverse clade of carnivores most closely related to the bears and weasels. They include the seals, sea lions and walrus, all of which are streamlined, flipper-footed, semiaqautic marine mammals. The smallest species, the Baikal seal, weighs only 100 pounds, while the largest, the southern elephant seal, also the largest carnivoran, weighs up to 7000 pounds. These animals are very agile, flexible swimmers, and some species can dive thousands of feet underwater. However, on land pinnipeds are rather cumbersome, though the sea lions and fur seals can pull their hind flippers under their bodies to walk on, while true seals can only push themselves with their fore flippers. Most species are found near the poles of the world and hunt in colder waters. All species have layers of blubber and fur( except the walrus) for warmth. Fish and squid make up the diet of most seals and sea lions, but the walrus is specialized for feeding on ocean-floor mollusk a, and the leopard seal often targets penguins and other large prey, even other seals. Pinnipeds come to land or ice to breed, molt or escape predators like sharks and orcas. They gather in large colonies called rookeries on land, but are solitary on ice. Males are larger than females in most species and during breeding seasons control large harems of females and defend them from other males. Females raise their pups for a very short period, with some species only a few weeks until the pups are fully grown. The milk of seals is incredibly rich in fat to help the pups grow quick. Human beings target seals for their meat, blubber and pelts, mostly in the Arctic. For this reason, and to avoid polar bears, Arctic seals spend little time out of the water, while Antarctic seals stay out in the ice for longer, for their are no terrestrial predators in Antarctica. Despite cruel hunting practices, few seal and seal lion species are threatened with extinction, but some species and populations are in danger from pollution, climate change and food shortages. Seals and sea lions are often featured in zoos and aquariums, often trained to perform tricks, as they are very curious and intelligent animals. Even the US Marines have enlisted sea lions to assist in finding underwater mines and bombs.