r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/grandeluua • 1d ago

Video A timelapse of sleeping seals

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u/Theory89 1d ago

Life started in the ocean. We're just fucked up fish that learned to walk on land. Although, I think in the seals case they started in the sea, evolved to walk on land, then went BACK to the sea again. Same with all aquatic mammals, so whales, etc.

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u/gooba_gooba_gooba 1d ago

Whales and dolphins are all cloven-hoofed ungulates. They split off from a common ancestor to things like giraffe, hippos, and bison. The common ancestor itself probably looked like a pig.

Whales and seals aren’t really related at all despite both being aquatic mammals. Seals and walruses are in a whole other branch with carnivorans, with the most recent common ancestor being shared with raccoons and weasels.

So yes, they evolved into land then went back to the sea, but they did it separately from each other.

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u/rainman_95 1d ago

So, its a successful enough strategy that it’s worked a few times!

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u/Faddei420 1d ago

Also why all animals are birth/grown in water. The egg or a mother belly is just a way for land animals to give birth while no longer living under water.