True Seals

True seals do not have external ear flaps and cannot turn their back flippers forward. This sets them apart from sea lions and fur seals. On land, they move by wriggling their bodies in a way similar to a caterpillar, rather than walking. Their bodies are shaped like a streamlined torpedo, and they have strong front flippers, which makes them very well suited to living in the water. Seals come in many sizes, from the small ringed seal to the very large elephant seal. They live in both cold and mild waters all over the world. Several types of seals breed around the coasts of Britain, including grey seals and common seals. Seals live in coastal waters, on floating sea ice, and in the open ocean. They usually come onto land to breed, shed their fur, and rest on beaches, rocky shores, or ice.