How do sea lions propel themselves through water?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

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 propel themselves through the water primarily by using their long front flippers, which they move like oars to generate thrust. This method of aquatic locomotion distinguishes them from "true" or earless seals (family Phocidae), which instead use their hind flippers to swim by moving them from side to side like a fish tail.12