A small seal and a huge elephant seal have more in common than they first appear! Bothbelong to the pinnipeds, together with sea lions and walruses. This image illustrates adultmales measuring 1.7 m for a harbor seal, 2.3 m for a gray seal, 2.4 m for a California sea lion, 3m for a Steller sea lion, 3.3 m for a walrus and 5.5 m for a southern elephant seal. Thecomparison uses the length of an extended body, rather than its height when sitting upright.Differences between males and females can be substantial, and species size ranges overlap, sothe sequence is not a fixed ranking of all individuals. True seals lack visible external ear flaps,whereas sea lions have them. The walrus stands out for its tusks and whiskers, while a largemale elephant seal has a distinctive nose. Looking at the flippers and body shapes revealsdifferent adaptations for a life shared between the water and the coast.
When the familiar still surprises. I knew they were good size but this perspective set me back. Those grey seals all around me last year were way bigger than they looked. They are longer than a man is tall. Not to be messed with.