Seals and sea lions of Aotearoa

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Seals and sea lions are like the cool kids of the mammal world – they rock fur, breathe air, and are total land pros. But guess what? They're also the MVPs of the swimming and diving scene.

So, here's the scoop: Seals and sea lions ditched their land roots around 25 to 27 million years ago. Picture this – they were once land-based carnivores hanging out with bears. But then, they decided to take the plunge back into the sea, where life started and where all the munchies were. Smart move, right? Now, these ancestors of seals had to level up to survive in the water:

• They got sleek bodies for speed.
• They put on a cozy layer of fat to keep them warm.
• Their four legs turned into epic flippers for swimming.
• They mastered the art of storing oxygen, so they could chill underwater without gasping for air.

Seals and sea lions are part of the "pinniped" crew, which basically means they're the squad with streamlined bodies and flippers. Think of it as their swim team uniform.

Now, pinnipeds come in three families:

1. Walruses – the ocean's big buddies.
2. True seals – the ones without external ears and can't walk on their hind flippers. The New Zealand example is ihupuku, the southern elephant seal. Oh, and there's a cool cat called popoiangore, the leopard seal, who's a frequent flyer from the Antarctic but doesn't set up shop here.
3. Eared seals, including fur seals and sea lions – the stylish ones with external ears and mad walking skills. In Aotearoa, meet kekeno the New Zealand fur seal, and pakake the New Zealand sea lion.

Quick biology lesson: Adult dudes are bulls, ladies are cows, and the little ones are pups. So, the next time you spot one of these ocean celebs, give them a wave and a shout-out for being the aquatic A-listers they are!

(Diagram from Department of Conservation - https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/marine-mammals/seals/)

Try the Seals and sea lions of Aotearoa quiz.

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