The primary difference between a seal fight and a sea lion fight lies in the species involved and their distinctive behaviors.
Seal fights typically involve true seals, such as harbor seals or elephant seals, which have streamlined bodies and lack external ear flaps.
These fights are often intense, featuring biting and vocal displays as the seals compete for territory or mates, usually on land or ice.
In contrast, sea lion fights involve eared seals like California sea lions or Steller sea lions, which have visible ear flaps and are more agile on land due to their ability to rotate their hind flippers forward.
Sea lion fights are characterized by barking, chest-to-chest pushing, and biting, occurring both on land and in water, and often appear more dynamic due to their greater mobility.
While both types of fights are driven by similar motivations, the physical and behavioral differences between seals and sea lions result in distinct combat styles.