Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

Description:

The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed of pinniped (walruses, eared seals, and true seals), they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Baltic and North Seas. Harbor seals are brown, tan, or gray, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. An adult can attain a length of 1.85 meters (6.1 ft) and a mass of 132 kilograms (290 lb). Females outlive males (30–35 years versus 20–25 years). Harbor seals stick to familiar resting spots or haulout sites, generally rocky areas (although ice, sand and mud may also be used) where they are protected from adverse weather conditions and predation, near a foraging area. Males may fight over mates underwater and on land. Females bear a single pup, which they care for alone. Pups are able to swim and dive within hours of birth, developing quickly on their mothers' fat-rich milk. Blubber under their skins helps to maintain body temperature.

Habitat:

rocky shoreline

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

No Comments

DonnaPomeroy
Spotted by
DonnaPomeroy

San Mateo, California, USA

Spotted on Jan 31, 2013
Submitted on Jan 31, 2013

Related Spottings

Harbor Seal Harbor Seal Harbor seal Harbour seal

Nearby Spottings

Osprey American Kestrel Mossy Chiton Giant Green Anemone

Reference

Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team