Harp Seal

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In this week’s crime blotter: a seal attack caught on video, a huge illegal logging bust, and an animal skull smuggling incident.

About Harp Seal

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 grey 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.

Fast Facts

Common Name: Harp Seal

Scientific Name: Pagophilus groenlandicus

Type: Mammals

Diet: Carnivores

Group Name: Colony, rookery

Average life span in the wild: 20 years

Size: 5.25 to 6.25 ft

Weight: 400 lbs

Harp Seal

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