Mammals
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina · also called harbour seal, common seal
Hauled out on a sun-warmed rock just offshore, a harbor seal rests between foraging trips, its mottled grey coat pattern unique among the small group of seals sharing the same favoured resting spot along the coast.
Overview
The harbor seal, Phoca vitulina, is a true earless seal native to coastal and nearshore ocean waters across a broad range of the Northern Hemisphere, including both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. Its extremely wide distribution, distinctive mottled coat pattern, and strong preference for hauling out on rocks and sandbars make it one of the most commonly encountered and recognisable seal species found anywhere in the world.
A seal that gets around
Few marine mammals occupy as broad a coastal range as the harbor seal, a true seal whose belly-bound movement on land contrasts sharply with its confident, agile swimming through the coastal waters it calls home across two oceans.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and abundant across suitable coastal habitat throughout the Northern Hemisphere, having recovered strongly from historical hunting pressure in many areas.
Harbor Seal: common questions
Why does the harbor seal move so awkwardly on land?
This species is a true seal lacking external ear flaps, with hind flippers that point permanently backward and cannot be turned forward, meaning it can only move on land by humping and wriggling along on its belly rather than walking the way sea lions and fur seals can.
How widespread is the harbor seal?
This species has an extremely broad distribution across coastal waters of the Northern Hemisphere, making it one of the most widely distributed seal species found anywhere on Earth, present along both Atlantic and Pacific coastlines.
How soon can a harbor seal pup swim?
A pup of this species is capable of swimming within just hours of birth, an unusually early independence that reflects the coastal, often tidally influenced environment many harbor seal populations give birth within, where the ability to enter water quickly can be important for survival.
What does a harbor seal's coat look like?
This species displays a highly variable coat pattern of spots and blotches ranging from light grey to dark brown, with no two individuals showing exactly the same pattern, making coat markings a useful way for researchers to identify specific individuals over time.