Mammals · Carnivora · Phocidae

Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Pups can swim and haul out on land within an hour of being born, and many are born already in the adult coat rather than the woolly prenatal one.

Weight

45 kg – 170 kg

Size

1.2 m – 1.9 m

Lifespan

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

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanCarnivore Variable activity Solitary Ocean Mammal

19countries 18parks 31dive sites14same family

Fun facts

That is a crucial adaptation for a species that gives birth on exposed intertidal ground.
It feeds on fish and a variety of marine invertebrates.
It lives on the temperate and Arctic coasts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Temperate and Arctic coasts of the Northern Hemisphere
Birth weight: 8-12 kg and 70-100 cm long at birth
Size at birth: 8-12 kg and 70-100 cm at birth
Sexual maturity: Female: 3-4 years (physically 6-7) | Male: 4-5 years (physically 7-9)
Gestation / incubation: 9-11 months, with ~11 weeks of delayed implantation (about 8.5 months of active foetal development)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per birth
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 47.6 years

Sources consulted: MarineBio; Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Virginia Aquarium; AnimalHub; Ocean Connections; SeaWorld/United Parks