What is the difference between Sea Lions and Walrus?
Sea lions and walrus are marine creatures that belong to the same group of animals known as pinnipeds. Pinnipeds are aquatic carnivorous mammals with all four limbs modified into flippers.
Sea lions and walrus are both winged foot animals but they differ in their body features and habitats. The body shapes are identical but their physical features are different.
The main difference between sea lions and walrus is that sea lions have external ear flaps and long front flippers while walrus have tusks and whiskers.
Comparison Table (Sea Lions vs Walrus)
| Characteristics | Sea lions | Walrus |
| Size | They are comparatively smaller. | They are comparatively larger. |
| Movement | They use the swim fins to move. | They depend on the whole boy to move in the water. |
| External ears | They possess external ears. | They do not have external ears. |
| Where found | They are found in sub-arctic to tropical waters in both hemispheres. | They are found in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas in the Northern hemisphere. |
| Young ones | The young ones are called pups. | The young ones are called calves. |
| Tusks | They do not have tusks. | They have tusks. |
| Whiskers | They do not have whiskers. | They have whiskers. |
What is Sea Lion?
Sea lions are marine mammals that spend most of their time in the ocean to find food. They are related to walruses and seals.
They are 7 species of large marine mammals in the seal family. Their bodies are structured for life in water.
They have the smooth, torpedo-shaped torso and flattened, powerful flippers four large swim fins instead of feet. The swim fins were modeled after the sea lions compressed the webbed toe on the hindfoot.
They live in large social groups called colonies. They come together to sunbathe, mate and take care of their young ones together.
Sea lions are carnivores. They entirely depend on meat for survival. Individuals may eat as much as 50 pounds of fish and squid daily. They are solitary hunters.
They have thick fur and even blubber to keep them warm during cold climates. They exist in all oceans of the world except the Atlantic.
They display sexual dimorphism. The adult males appear larger than the females.
What is Walrus?
Walrus is a carnivorous marine feature that possesses four flippers. They are found in the arctic and subarctic waters of the Northern hemisphere only.
When on land they walk on the four flippers but when in water they depend on the whole of their body for swimming.
They have tusks and whiskers. These are the main features that make the walrus appear different from the sea lions.
Although they appear similar to sea lions, they do not have external ear flaps and long front flippers as in the sea lions.
They have greyish skin with deep folds around the shoulders. The skin is covered with short reddish hair giving the animal a cinnamon color.
Both males and females possess tusks and their main function is to display mating and they also use them to defend themselves against other walruses.
Their gestation period is between 15 to 16 months. The young ones are referred to as calves. The young ones weigh about 60 kg at birth and they remain with the females up to the age of two to three years.
Main Differences between Sea Lion and Walrus
- Sea lions are comparatively smaller while walruses are comparatively larger.
- Sea lions have external ear flaps and long front flippers while walruses do not have.
- Sea lions do not have tusks and whiskers while walruses have tusks and whiskers.
- Sea lions are found in sub-arctic and tropical waters of both hemispheres while walruses are found in arctic and sub arctic waters of the Northern hemisphere only.
- Young ones of sea lions are called pups while young ones of walruses are called calves.
Similarities between Sea Lion and Walrus
- They both belong to the same group of animals called pinnipeds.
- They both have flippers that enable them to move on land.
- Both are carnivorous animals.
- They both have identical body shapes.
- Both are winged foot animals.
In Conclusion
Sea lions and walruses belong to the same group of animals known as pinnipeds. They are large marine animals that are carnivores.
Both are adapted either to live on land or in water. They have flippers that enable them to move on land and while in water, walruses depend on the whole body to swim while sea lions have swim fins that enable them to swim.
The main feature that makes sea lions be different from walruses is the size of their bodies.
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