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Seals and Sea Lions of Asia
Ear hole, no flap
Seal
(Family Phocidae)
Less social, more solitary
More vocal underwater
Point out and away from their body, can not rotate under body, scoots on belly while on land
Fur covered, long claws
Ear with Flap
Sea Lion
(Family Otariidae)
Highly social, gather in groups called rafts (in water) or colonies (on land)
Skin covered, short claws
Can rotate under the body, allowing “walking” on land
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Mostly found in cold North Pacific waters
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Largest populations occur in northern East Asia
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Adapted primarily to cooler marine environments
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Many migrate seasonally into Asian seas
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Some historical populations have disappeared regionally
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Rare vagrants occasionally drift into tropics
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Range spans icy north to warm south sightings
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