Common Name:
Harp seals
Scientific Name:
Phoca groenlandica
Unique Qualities:
The harp seal is a marine animal that spends most of its time out in the sea. They have short, thick white fur with black patches and a black face. The baby harp seals are all white and are left to survive on their own two weeks after birth. They can live up to be 30 years old.
Can be Seen:
Harp seals can be seen in the north Atlantic and Arctic oceans in places such as in Newfoundland & Labrador and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They are also seen in Greenland. In the summer, they can migrate as far as 2,500 km for food!
Likes to Hang Out:
Harp seals like to hang out in the open sea (Arctic waters), where they spend much of their lives. However, they do like hanging out on the edges of ice packs as well.
Likes to Eat:
They like to eat small fish and crustaceans. These include cod, capelin, herring and small crabs. However, their eating habits usually change throughout their lives.
Status:
There is an estimated 4.5 million harp seals. They were most vulnerable in the 1970s when there were only about a million of them. However, they are still threatened by polar bears, whales and hunters.
Find Out More @:
Map credit: The harp seal habitat map is Copyright Earth Day Canada and uses a map by Planiglobe. The original map is licensed under a Creative Commons Attibution 2.5 license.
