All week long we’re celebrating seals and other pinnipeds! Pinnipeds are a group of marine mammals that include seals, sea lions and walruses. Pinnipeds spend time on land to socialize, care for their young and avoid predators. That’s why they are often the species of marine mammal most seen on our shores. All pinnipeds are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and some are also listed under the Endangered Species Act. Here are some fun facts about these pleasant pinnipeds: Do seals make sounds? Seals make many sounds both out of the water — like elephant seals, and under water — like harbor seals. Scientists have recently started to use the sounds harbor seals make during mating season to identify and track them. What are seals' eating habits? A seal’s body stores enough fat in the blubber layer to allow the animal to go for extended periods of time without eating. In addition, most seals are opportunistic feeders and will consume a variety of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Seals do not eat on land. Is it normal for seals to be on land? It is absolutely normal for seals to be on land. Seals are semi-aquatic, which means they often spend a portion of each day on land. Seals need to haul out for a variety of reasons: to rest, give birth, and molt (annual shedding of old hair). Young seals may haul out on land for up to a week. Do seals need to stay wet? Seals do not need to be wet constantly. They come out of the water to get dry; wetting them is actually a form of harassment. How are seals protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act? It is against the law to touch, feed, or otherwise harass seals. Harassment occurs when your behavior changes their behavior. If your presence causes any of the following reactions on land or in the water, then you are too close: -Increased vocalizations by seals. -Movement back into the water (single animal or the herd). -All eyes are on you (single animal or several in the herd). -Disturbance from normal resting position (lifting their head to watch you, stretching, waving foreflippers, yawning). Pictured here: Mother and pup Hawaiian monk seals (NOAA). @noaafisheries #Conservation #SealWeekNOAA