Pinnipeds
This Latin word, from which the group gets its name, means "fin or flipper-footed"
Pinniped
Unlike their "eared" cousins, True Seals are easily identified by this specific physical lack.
No ear flaps
Despite appearing white, a polar bear’s skin is actually this color to help absorb heat.
Black
To stay warm without a layer of blubber, sea otters have the thickest fur of any animal, which holds a layer of this.
Air
This order of marine mammals includes only two types of animals
Manatees & Dugongs
This is the total number of pinniped species found worldwide.
33 species
This "pose," often used by true seals, is actually a behavior used for thermoregulation.
Banana posing
This specific bear species is the most closely related to the modern-day polar bear.
Grizzly Bear
Because they have high metabolic demands, sea otters must consume this percentage of their body weight in food every day.
25%
Unlike the carnivorous pinnipeds, Sirenians are primary consumers that eat this.
Seagrasses
While they share similar features with whales due to convergent evolution, pinnipeds actually share a more recent common ancestor with these two land animals.
Bears and dogs
This bone ridge on the forehead is a prominent example of sexual dimorphism in male sea lions.
Sagittal crest
Polar bears are exclusively found in this northern region of the globe.
Artic
Sea otters are considered this type of species because they maintain the health of kelp forests by controlling urchin populations.
Keystone Species
Manatees are notably absent from this major world ocean.
Pacific Ocean
To nurse young, mate, give birth, or molt, pinnipeds must perform this action of coming onto land.
Haul out
To maintain the ability to surface for air while sleeping in the water, eared seals utilize this specific type of sleep.
Unihemispheric (USWS)
In the Arctic, the sea ice reaches its maximum coverage during this month.
March
Sea otters often store their favored tools, like rocks, in this "built-in" location.
Under their armpit
In Hawai‘i, monk seals are threatened by this specific disease transferred from cat feces.
Toxoplasmosis
This specific term is used to describe the "bouncing on the belly" movement used by true seals on land.
Galumphing
Pinnipeds must fast while hauled out for "catastrophic molting" because entering cold water would stop the process by doing this.
Diverting blood flow
When the sea ice is gone in late summer, polar bears usually survive by doing this
Travel inland
On average, sea otters spend this many hours a day grooming to maintain their fur's insulating properties.
5 hours
These human-made structures are becoming common modern "haul-out" sites for pinnipeds.
Docks, wharfs, buoys