How do sea lions and fur seals move on land?

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A crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus) lies on snow-covered ice with its mouth open, surrounded by broken sea ice in East Antarctica. — seal Crabeater seal (*Lobodon carcinophagus*).

Sea lions and fur seals belong to the family Otariidae, commonly known as eared seals, and possess distinct anatomical adaptations that allow them to move effectively on land.12

Unlike true seals, which have short front flippers and back flippers that cannot rotate, sea lions and fur seals have long flippers and the ability to rotate their hind flippers forward under their bodies. This unique anatomical feature enables them to use all four limbs to walk or move about on land. In contrast, true seals are unable to rotate their hind flippers and are forced to move by flopping on their bellies, a motion similar to that of a caterpillar.12