In and around Redwood National and State Parks, the most commonly seen eared seal is the California sea lion ( Zalophus californianus). One must travel somewhere else along the California coast to see a spectacular adult male elephant seal, with its long proboscis, or nose, for which the species is named.įur seals and sea lions are also known as eared seals. Usually there's only one subadult animal at a time hauled out on a sandy beach undergoing its annual molt. Elephant seals, on the other hand, are uniformly tan colored all over, and seen only rarely within the parks. Harbor seals come in a variety of colors from almost pure white to mottled gray or brown, but usually some form of color patterning is visible. They are often seen bobbing in the surf, checking out the shoreline. Harbor seals are quite common and may be seen lounging on flat-topped near shore rocks, or hauled out sandy beaches, primarily around the Redwood Creek estuary. In and around RNSP, there are two seal species to be found, the harbor seal ( Phoca vitulina), and northern elephant seal ( Mirounga angustirotris). True seals are also known as earless seals, or simply "seals". Pinnipeds divide their time between near shore terrestrial habitats and the ocean. The group of marine mammals consisting of seals, sea lions, and walruses is known as the Pinnipeds, (from "pinna" meaning "feather" + "pes" meaning "foot" = "feather-footed"). Fur seals are occasionally seen off the RNSP coastline farther out to sea, however, they do not come ashore here, and breed in the far northern Pacific.
Fur seals, actually in the sea lion group, having extremely long hind flippers.
This causes differences between the two in locomotion when on land: seals move forward by caterpillar-like hitching movements sea lions use their hind legs to walk or even gallop across land. In seals, the hind flippers extend directly behind the body, and are not capable of rotation unlike the hind flippers of sea lions that are longer and may be rotated toward the front of the body. There are other, somewhat subtle, differences between the front flippers of the two groups, but the hind flipper differences are noticeable. True seals are termed "earless" because they lack an external ear flap, whereas in "eared" seals or sea lions an external ear flap is visible.
The Phocidae, or family group to which the true seals belong, are believed to have descended from a terrestrial weasel-like ancestor, while the Otariidae, or sea lion family group, are thought to have descended from a terrestrial bear-like ancestor. “Upon closer inspection, many people with ‘enough sleep’ may still show signs of dysfunction, like poor concentration, short temper, lower immune system, or longer recovery following a workout.” (The people with brain fog are nodding their heads.) headtopics.What Are the Differences Between Seals and Sea Lions?ĭespite the similarities of outward appearance, true seals and sea lions have some noticeable differences, due to convergent evolution. “From a personal take, the idea of ‘enough sleep’ implies the bare minimum (or smallest quantity) of sleep that allows for adequate functioning during the day,” Dr. Whether you're struggling to getenough sleep, or you're looking to improve thequalityof your sleep this new year, knowing the difference (and the effects of each) is key for tackling your particular goal.So, what'sreally the difference between sleeping enough and sleeping well? To find out, we asked sleep and health psychologist Dr. And if you're a parent juggling a million responsibilities? Having the chance to go to bed early probably feels like a dream. It's true: Just because you log your eight hours every night doesn't mean you're automatically going to wake up feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed (anyone who's ever gone through the day dealing with brain fog even after going to bed early can attest).
There’s a difference between sleeping enough and sleeping *well*-here’s how to make both happen this new year