About |
Habitat and Lifestyle |
Harp Seals are found in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. spend very little time on land, they enjoy being in the water. Some have also been known to float on ice during their migration. They are even considered semi- aquatic animals. Although they are not strong divers, they can stay under the water for up to 16 minutes. The seals thick fut coat helps keep them insulated from the cold.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Harp Seals length is between 5 and 7 feet, they can also weigh up to 400 pounds and live up to 35 years. The pups are born with snowy, white fur coat, known as "whitecoats". This only lasts a few weeks, then dark hair is formed, once the white coat sheds, the seal has a grey spotted coat. They have sharp teeth for eating and strong flippers to help swim and protect from predators. Harp seals have a varied diet of fish and also eat crustaceans.