Main Content
A baby harp seal rests on the Arctic ice. Its mother can distinguish it from hundreds of others by scent alone.
Photograph by Norbert Rosing
Map
Harp Seal Range
Audio
Fast Facts
- Type:
- Mammal
- Diet:
- Carnivore
- Average life span in the wild:
- 30 years
- Size:
- 5.25 to 6.25 ft (1.6 to 1.9 m)
- Weight:
- 400 lbs (180 kg)
- Group name:
- Colony or rookery
- Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:
-
Harp seals spend relatively little time on land and prefer to swim in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. These sleek swimmers cruise the chilly waters and feed on fish and crustaceans. They can remain submerged for up to 15 minutes. Harp seals are sometimes called saddleback seals because of the dark, saddlelike marking on the back and sides of their light yellow or gray bodies.
Both sexes return each year to breeding grounds in Newfoundland, the Greenland Sea, and the White Sea. On this turf males fight for their mates, battling with sharp teeth and powerful flippers.
When the mating ends, females gather in groups to give birth. Young harp seals are born on the ice, and mothers identify their own offspring from the multitudes by their smell. The young seals are famous for their snowy white coats. This fluffy fur is highly valued and has drawn hunters to the Newfoundland breeding grounds for two centuries. During the past several decades these grounds have become the scene of a human conflict between sealers and outraged environmentalists and animal rights activists. Modern hunts are better regulated than in the past, but the harp seal remains perhaps the most commercially important seal, with hundreds of thousands killed each year.
More Seals and Sea Lions
Mammal Features
-
In Hot Pursuit
They’re rarely seen. Even less often photographed. Bryde’s whales rocket through Pacific shallows to gorge on fish. Dive in for more.
-
Amazon Dolphins
Amazon dolphins bear little resemblance to our beloved Flipper. How'd they get to the Amazon—and why are the males pink?
-
Lions Quiz
The king of cats rules with a roar and a fierce bite. What else do you know about this top predator?
-
Isn't She Lovely
From across the vast and parched Arabian Peninsula, camels converge on Abu Dhabi for an annual beauty contest. Here the traditional beast of burden becomes a pampered show animal.
-
My Shot Dogs Infinite Photograph
Explore this photo mosaic made up of hundreds of My Shot Dogs entries. Keep clicking—and dive deeper into the Infinite Photograph.
This requires the latest version of Flash Player. Click here to download.Advertisement
Special Ad Section
-
Audio Slideshow
Take a photographic journey through Montana and hear Annie Griffiths Belt's narrative.
-
Adventure Videos
Check out adventure videos and go "Behind the Lens."
Shop Animals and Nature
-
Animal & Nature DVDs
Shop our store for a wide collection of animal, wildlife, and nature DVDs.
-
2010 Animal & Nature Calendars
Featuring stunning National Geographic photography, calendars make great gifts.
Blogs
-
NatGeo NewsWatch
Keep current on developments in science, nature, and cultures.
-
Dog Whisperer
Get the inside story as Cesar Millan helps problem dogs and their owners.
-
BlogWild
National Geographic explorers share tales (and photos) of their adventures.
