3.9K views · 285 reactions | Start your day with a pinniped ballet! Harbor seals and sea lions are a common sight along the central coast of Oregon, and can often be spotted in the Yaquina Bay or near the docks here in Newport. Both seals and sea lions can traverse land, but they are at their most graceful underwater, using their flippers to propel and steer. | Oregon Coast Aquarium | Facebook

Check out these playful pinnipeds! Pinniped means “wing or fin-footed," or casually speaking, “flippered feet.” Pinnipeds are animals organized into groups that share similar physical, functional, and genetic characteristics. All pinnipeds belong to the Order Carnivora, which includes meat-eating animals with sharp teeth. The name pinniped comes from the Latin “pinnipes” and roughly translates to “wing or fin-footed.” These animals have paddle-shaped feet with claws. | Marine Mammal Care Center