FAQs About Harbor Seals
Oct/02/09 11:06 AM
• also called “true” or “common” seals
• have excellent hearing with no external ear flap (or pinna)
• do not migrate
• can sleep under water
• can dive 650 feet deep (1500 foot dive has been recorded, but
most dives are only about 25 - 60 feet)
• can hold their breath for approx 25 minutes
• adult diet consists of squid, octopus and a variety of fish
• are extremely acrobatic swimmers, but awkward on land
• fatty tissue layer called “blubber” provides warmth
• coats are of various colors and number of spots, providing excellent camouflage
• least vocal of all pinnipeds with adults making occasional grunts and growls and low-frequency underwater sounds
• females live 35 years, males 25 years
• males weigh up to 370 lbs, females up to 290 lbs
• global population is estimated at 400,000 - 500,000
• “haul out” and rest onshore when not feeding
REPRODUCTION OF HARBOR SEALS
• most males and females become sexually active between the ages of 3 and 6 or 7 years
• gestation period is 9 - 11 months
• females give birth to one pup, typically 1/3 - 1/4 the size of the mother
• seal pups weigh between 18 - 30 pounds at birth
• pups can swim and dive shortly after birth
• mating occurs soon after the female has given birth, with delayed implantation of the egg
• if born prematurely, the pups have a whitish coat, called “lanugo” that is typically shed in the womb
• moms nurse their pups both on land and in the water
• pups nurse for 4 - 6 weeks
• pups make a sound like “maaaaaaaaaa”
• mom’s milk consist of 50% fat, so pups can double their weight by the time they are weaned
• once weaned, pups eat small bait fish
• there is a 50% mortality rate for pups
• generally return to the same breeding ground (“rookery”) year after year
Please visit our website to learn more about harbor seals.