- There are 18 seal species still inhabiting the seas today, but not
long ago there were 19 species.
- Seals can be found in all the oceans and a few freshwater lakes, one
of which is Lake Baikal in Russia
- Seals do not have an ear that extends from the skull, but they can
still hear well.
- Seals propel themselves through the water with their rear flippers.
Their front flippers are used for steering. The front flippers of seals
are short with sharp claws.
- Seals cannot use their rear flippers to walk on land or ice and most
appear awkward when moving on these surfaces.
- Seals have a torpedo like shape in the water and use their rear flippers
to move rapidly to catch prey and escape predators
- Seals are quite large animals at any stage of life
- The scientific name for seals is 'pinnipeds'
- Some seal species suckle their young for as little as 4 days.
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