Harbor seal Facts
The harbor seal, also called the common seal, belongs to the true seals, a marine mammal of Northern Hemisphere coasts with distinctive V-shaped nostrils.
- Class
- Mammal
- Scientific name
- Phoca vitulina
- Conservation status
- Least concern (IUCN)
About the harbor seal
No pinniped spreads more widely. Harbor seals live along temperate and Arctic shores of the northern Atlantic and Pacific and the Baltic and North seas. Coats come in brown, silvery white, tan or gray, and an adult can reach 1.85 m (6.1 ft) and 168 kg (370 lb). Blubber helps hold body heat. They return to favorite resting spots, usually rocks, near feeding areas and safe from bad weather and predators.
Males may fight over mates both underwater and on land. After a nine-month pregnancy, a female has a single pup and raises it alone. Pups weigh up to 16 kg (35 lb), can swim and dive just hours after being born and grow fast on rich milk before weaning at four to six weeks. Females live longer, 30 to 35 years compared with 20 to 25 for males.
Did you know?
- The world has an estimated 350,000 to 500,000 harbor seals.
- The Ungava seal, a freshwater subspecies in Northern Quebec, is endangered.
- Many countries where harbor seals live have now banned sealing.
Questions about the harbor seal
How long do harbor seals live?
Females live about 30 to 35 years and males about 20 to 25 years.
Are harbor seals endangered?
No. The IUCN lists the harbor seal as Least Concern, though one freshwater subspecies is endangered.
Sources
- Wikidata Q26913, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Harbor seal, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.