the.com/sea lion
A seal that went to finishing school: ears, flippers, and a flair for applause.
means A large, eared marine mammal with flexible flippers that let it walk on land and balance balls at marine parks, unlike its earless true-seal cousins.
from Straightforward compound coinage: 'sea' plus 'lion,' inspired by the animal's roar-like bark and, in males of some species, a mane-like thickening of fur around the neck and shoulders — enough leonine suggestion for sailors and naturalists to name it after the king of beasts.
- visible ears
- unlike true seals, has external ear flaps
- walking ability
- rotates hind flippers to walk on land
- circus star
- trainability made it the classic balancing-ball act
- loud bark
- males roar to defend beach territory