The seals that we see on Long Island are true seals.
True seals lack an external ear flap.
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.