On a trip in the fall of 2012 to San Francisco to attend the Internet Archives’ Leaders’ Forum, a couple of us paid a visit to Pier 39 to visit the semi-aquatic mammals that hang out there.Since January 1990, these colorful creatures have been “hauling up” at Pier 39. At first considered a bit of a nuisance (they can be a bit loud and smelly), they soon turned into a beloved tourist attraction. See more about their story on the Pier 39 site.But what exactly are these creatures? Well, three families make up the group of fin footed mammals of the order, Pinnipedia: Odobenidae (the walrus), Otariidae (eared seals, sea lions, and fur seals), and Phocidae (earless seals).
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