True seals also have short stubby flippers that make them very clumsy on land. True seals use their front flippers to swim and their rear flippers to steer, while sea lions swim with their rear flippers and steer with their front flippers. True seals live in cold waters so they have a thick layer of blubber to keep them warm. While sea lions can be found living in the warmer regions of the south, they lack the thick layer of blubber. Harbor seals feed on a variety of fish, including herring, mackerel, and flounder are just to name a few.
Large teeth enable the seals to catch their prey which is then swallowed whole.
Seals can be found hauled out on rocks during the low tide to rest and absorb heat from the sun. Four species of seals can be found here in the winter months. Grey seals will occasionally be found hauling out with harbor seals. They can be identified by their long snout. Harp and hooded seals are two arctic species that are also found around Long Island.