Pinnipeds are large marine mammals belonging to the Pinnipedia, a family (sometimes a suborder or superfamily, depending on the classification scheme) of the order Carnivora. The true seals, sea lions, fur seals and Walrus are all pinnipeds.
Pinnipeds are typically sleek bodied and rather large. The smallest pinniped, the Galapagos Fur Seal weighs about 30 kg when full-grown and is 1.2 metres long; the largest, the male Southern Elephant Seal, is over 4 metres long and weighs up to 2,200 kg. All are carnivorous and live on fish, shellfish, squid, and other marine creatures.
Pinnipeds are typically sleek bodied and rather large.
The smallest pinniped, the Galapagos Fur Seal weighs about 30 kilos when full-grown and is 1.2 metres long; the largest, the male Southern Elephant Seal, is over 4 metres long and weighs up to 2.2 tonnes.
The smallest pinniped, the Galapagos fur seal, weighs about 30 kg (66 lb.) when full-grown and is 1.2 meters (4 feet) long; the largest, the male southern elephant seal, is over 4 meters (13 feet) long and weighs up to 2,200 kg (4,850 lb, more than 2 tons).
The pinnipeds come ashore to breed (haul-out), and this often necessitates travelling long distances from their feeding grounds to suitable mating grounds (either on land or ice).
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