Seals and Sea Lions Ears Seals don't have ear flaps like humans do, instead, they hear through small holes in the sides of their heads. Sea lions have small, furry, external ears that they can seal off when diving to keep the water out. A seal's front flippers are more like paws and are used for steering in the water. They are short and have sharp claws to help them haul themselves onto rocks.
Sea lions swim using their longer, winglike front flippers to propel themselves through the water.
Seals on land often move on their bellies, bouncing along like giant beachballs with their hind flippers trailing behind them. Return to pictures Sounds Seals make a variety of grunts, hisses and little growls. Sea lions bark, sometimes frequently. A sea lion's bark can be heard for a mile or more. Click each picture to hear a sample.