Harp seals spend most of their time diving and swimming in the icy waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. These sleek swimmers often hunt for fish and crustaceans at 300 feet (90 meters) and may dive to nearly 1,000 feet (300 meters). They are able to remain submerged for up to 15 minutes.
During mating season, females form large colonies on floating ice and give birth to young. Older seals return annually to pack ice to molt. They lose their pelts and top layers of skin and grow a new fur coat every year.
Harp seals are sometimes called saddleback seals because of the dark, saddlelike marking on the back
and sides of their light yellow or gray bodies of the adults. Baby seals are born on pack ice floating in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Harp seal mothers are able to identify their babies by their smell. The pups don't have any blubber at birth, but quickly gain weight nursing on high-fat mother's milk. When the pups reach about 80 pounds (36 kilograms), their mothers stop nursing them.
and sides of their light yellow or gray bodies of the adults. Baby seals are born on pack ice floating in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Harp seal mothers are able to identify their babies by their smell. The pups don't have any blubber at birth, but quickly gain weight nursing on high-fat mother's milk. When the pups reach about 80 pounds (36 kilograms), their mothers stop nursing them.
The pups go without food for about six weeks and can lose about half their body weight until they dive in and begin to hunt for themselves.
The young seals are famous for their snowy white coats. Their fluffy fur is valuable and has drawn hunters to the Newfoundland breeding grounds for two centuries.
During the past several decades conflict between hunters, environmentalists, and animal rights activists has arisen at the breeding grounds. Today hunts are better regulated than in the past, but the harp seal remains perhaps the most commercially important seal, with hundreds of thousands killed each year.
Fast Facts:
The scientific name for harp seals is Pagophilus groenlandicus
They are mammals.
They are carnivores and eat mostly Arctic cod, herring, and capelin fish.
The scientific name for harp seals is Pagophilus groenlandicus
They are mammals.
They are carnivores and eat mostly Arctic cod, herring, and capelin fish.
Harp seals live to be 30 years old in the wild.They can grow to be 6.25 feet (1.9 meters) long.
Females are a little smaller than males.
Harp seals can weigh up to 400 pounds (180 kilograms).
They live in colonies or rookeries.
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