The Marine Mammal Center's hospital and customer center in Sausalito, California, has reopened to the public! Book your go to today! Tickets are free however have to be reserved on-line prematurely. The word "pinniped" means fin- or flipper-footed and refers back to the marine mammals that have entrance and rear flippers. Millions of years in the past, the ancestors of pinnipeds lived on land. These have been in all probability weasel- or bear-like animals that spent an increasing number of time in the ocean and finally tailored to this marine setting. Pinnipeds are separated into three groups: earless seals, eared seals and walruses. This group contains seals, sea lions and walruses -- animals that stay within the ocean but are able to return on land for long intervals of time. Typically referred to as earless seals or true seals, marine mammals in the phocid household may be simply identified by looking at their ears and flippers. They also have small front flippers and transfer on land by flopping along on their bellies, a motion known as "galumphing." At sea, true seals move their rear flippers back and forth like a fish tail to propel themselves by the water. They have ear holes but no exterior ear flaps. You'll be able to recognize these animals by their flippers and ears. Sea lions and fur seals are part of the otariid family and are generally known as eared chimpanzee teddy bear seals. Unlike true seals, otariids have external ear flaps. Their front flippers
