Facts about Harbor Seals
It is also known as the Common Seal. It is found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern hemisphere. They are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as those of the Baltic and North Seas. Their pups are able to swim and dive within hours of birth. They have distinctive V-shaped nostrils. Each individual possess a unique pattern of fine, dark spots(or light spots on a dark background in some variants). An adult Harbor Seal can attain a length of 1.85 meters (6.1 ft) and a mass of 132 kilograms (290 lbs) on the average. Female Harbor Seals outlive males. They live 30-35 years versus males who live 20-25 years. Scientists have suggested that this is due to stresses male seals are subjected to during breeding seasons. The harbor seals are known to prey primarily upon fish such as menhaden, anchovy, sea bass, herring, cod, whiting and flatfish, and occasionally upon shrimp, mollusks and squid. Both courtship and mating of these seals occurs underwater. The size of male harbor seals can reach about 1.4 to 2 meters in length with a mass of 70 to 170 kilograms. The size of female harbor seals can reach about 1.2 to 1.7 meters in length with a mass of 50 to 150 kilograms. They are able to dive for up to ten minutes, reaching depths of 457 metres (approx 1500 feet) or more, but average dives may be three minutes long at depths of about 20 metres (approx 66 feet). Females are thought to give birth once per year, with a gestation period of eleven months. A fatty tissue called "blubber" keeps them warm. Fight between males over a female occur underwater. Females mate with the strongest male. |
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