
Seals, Sea Lions and Walruses
Learn More About Pinnipeds
The word "pinniped" means fin- or flipper-footed and refers to the marine mammals that have front and rear flippers. This group includes seals, sea lions and walruses -- animals that live in the ocean but are able to come on land for long periods of time.
Millions of years ago, the ancestors of pinnipeds lived on land. These were probably weasel- or bear-like animals that spent more and more time in the ocean and eventually adapted to this marine environment.