Least ConcernGrey Seal
Halichoerus grypus
One of the 13 seals on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Phocidae
Pagophilus groenlandicus
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The harp seal is one of the most abundant pinnipeds in the northern hemisphere, with several million animals spread across three great populations: the north-western Atlantic, the Greenland Sea and the White Sea. Its scientific name means ice-lover, and that defines its biology: it gives birth, suckles and moults on drifting sea ice. It makes migrations of thousands of kilometres and regularly dives below 200 metres to hunt capelin, polar cod and crustaceans.
Weight
115 kg – 140 kg
Size
1.6 m – 1.9 m
Life expectancy
30 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Colony
Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagophilus_groenlandicus
Best time: From February to March in the Gulf of St Lawrence and the White Sea, when the females pup on the ice and the white-coated young number in their thousands.
The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 14 of 21.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Harp Seal — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Based on what we already know about harp seal.
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