Difference Between Sea lions and Walrus

Sea lions vs Walrus

Sea lions and walrus belong to the same group of animals known as Pinnipeds. Though sea lions and walrus are both winged foot animals, they differ widely in their body features and habitat. There is no difficulty in differentiating a sea lion from a walrus.

Though the body shapes of both sea lion and walrus are almost identical, they have differences in their physical structure. The sea lions have external ear flaps (pinnae) and long front flippers. When on land, the sea lions walk on all four flippers. Another feature is that the sea lions do not have dense under fur.

Walrus is the only living species in the Odobenus genus. Unlike the sea lions, walrus have tusks and whiskers. The tusk and stiff whiskers are the main features that differentiate a walrus from a sea lion. Walrus is also bigger than sea lions.
Though walrus shares certain physical features with sea lions, it does not have the external ear as that of sea lions. Unlike the sea lion, walrus relies more on the body for swimming like that of the true seals. In land movement, walrus is like sea lions that uses its four flippers.
Sea lions are mainly found in the sub arctic to tropical waters in both the hemispheres. However, they are not seen in the Atlantic Ocean. Walrus is widely seen in the Arctic Ocean and the sub arctic seas in the Northern Hemisphere.
While the baby sea lions are called pups, baby walrus are called calves. California sea lion and Stellar Sea lion are the well known sea lion species. The walrus species can be divided into those that live in the Pacific Ocean and those that live in the Atlantic Ocean.

Summary
The tusk and stiff whiskers mainly differentiate a walrus from a sea lion.
Walrus is also bigger than sea lions.
The sea lions have external ear flaps (pinnae). On the other hand, walrus does not have external ears.
Unlike the sea lion, walrus relies more on the body for swimming like that of the true seals.
Sea lions are mainly found from the sub arctic to tropical waters in both the hemispheres. Walrus is widely seen in the Arctic Ocean and the sub arctic seas in the Northern Hemisphere.
While the baby sea lions are called pups, baby walrus are called calves.

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