Harp Seal Profile

7. Harp Seal Profile

Common Name: Harp Seal
Scientific Name: Pagophilus groenlandicus
Genus: Pagophilus
Family: Phocidae
Order: Carnivora
Class: Mammalia
Phylum: Chordata
Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Physical Description

Harp seals are marine mammals known for their sleek, torpedo-shaped bodies, which make them excellent swimmers. Adult harp seals have a distinctive black harp-shaped marking on their silvery-gray fur, while pups are born with a pure white coat that helps them blend into their icy surroundings.

• Length: 1.7 – 2.0 meters

• Weight: 115 – 140 kg

• Fur Color: Adults have silver-gray fur with a black harp-shaped marking, while pups are covered in white fur for camouflage.

Harp seals have large, dark eyes adapted for underwater vision and a thick layer of blubber that insulates them from the freezing Arctic waters. Their flippers are powerful and flexible, allowing them to move gracefully through the sea while also being able to pull themselves onto ice floes.

Habitat

Harp seals are found in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, where they rely on pack ice for breeding and molting. They are highly migratory and travel thousands of kilometers each year between feeding and breeding areas.

• Primary habitat: Arctic pack ice, subarctic waters

• Occasional habitat: Open ocean, coastal areas near Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia

These seals depend on stable ice formations for pupping, and climate change poses a major threat to their survival by reducing the amount of suitable ice.

Speed & Agility

The harp seal is an agile and efficient swimmer, perfectly adapted to its icy Arctic environment. They use their powerful, flipper-like front limbs for propulsion and their hind flippers for steering,

Speed: When swimming, harp seals can reach speeds of up to 32 km/h (20 mph) underwater.

They are also skilled divers, capable of staying submerged for up to 15 minutes while searching for fish and crustaceans. On land or ice, however, harp seals move much more slowly, using a combination of wriggling and pulling with their front flippers. Their sleek, streamlined bodies make them agile and graceful in the water, where they are most at home. 

Diet

Harp seals are carnivorous marine predators, primarily feeding on fish and invertebrates. Their diet varies depending on location and availability, but they are known to consume a wide range of species.

• Primary prey: Capelin, herring, Arctic cod

• Occasional prey: Shrimp, krill, crustaceans, squid

Harp seals are skilled divers, capable of reaching depths of 275 meters and holding their breath for up to 16 minutes while searching for food. They use their sensitive whiskers (vibrissae) to detect prey in dark waters.

Behavior and Social Structure

Harp seals are highly social animals, often seen resting together on ice floes or swimming in large groups. While they are playful and curious, they are also cautious around predators.

• Group size: Varies, but large gatherings can include thousands of individuals

• Migration: Travel long distances between breeding and feeding grounds

• Communication: Use vocalizations, body movements, and whisker touch to communicate

During the breeding season, harp seals gather in massive "whelping patches", where females give birth and nurse their pups. These gatherings are among the largest animal congregations on Earth.

Fun Fact: Harp seals can sleep underwater by shutting down half of their brain while keeping the other half alert for predators!

Reproduction

Harp seals have a well-timed reproductive cycle, with most births occurring on the ice in late February to March.

• Gestation period: About 11 months (including a delayed implantation of 3-4 months)

• Litter size: 1 pup per year

• Weaning: Around 12 days (one of the shortest weaning periods among mammals!)

Pups are born with thick white fur that provides insulation and camouflage on the ice. During the brief nursing period, the mother's milk is extremely rich in fat (up to 50%), allowing the pup to gain 2 kg per day. After weaning, the mother leaves, and the pup survives on its fat reserves until it learns to swim and hunt on its own.

Interesting Facts

❄ Ice Dependence: Harp seals rely on sea ice for giving birth and molting, making them vulnerable to climate change as ice conditions become less stable.

🌊 Deep Divers: These seals can slow their heart rate to conserve oxygen, allowing them to stay submerged for long periods.

🐟 Efficient Swimmers: Unlike sea lions, harp seals do not have external ear flaps and cannot walk on land; instead, they move by wriggling their bodies. However, in the water, they are fast and agile swimmers.

Role in the Ecosystem

Harp seals play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the Arctic marine food web.

• Predator Role: They control fish populations by feeding on species like capelin and Arctic cod.

• Prey Role: They are an essential food source for polar bears, orcas, and Greenland sharks.

As climate change affects sea ice availability, harp seals are facing new challenges, with higher pup mortality rates in years with reduced ice coverage. Conservation efforts focus on protecting their Arctic habitat and regulating hunting practices.

Why They're At Risk

Least Concern, but at risk (IUCN Status)

While the Harp Seal is not currently classified as endangered, it is still extremely vulnerable to environmental threats. Climate change, especially the loss of sea ice due to global warming, is affecting their breeding grounds. Increased hunting and pollution further jeopardize their future, especially when combined with the changing dynamics of the marine ecosystem. Additionally, the commercial seal hunt, which targets young Harp Seals for their fur, faces a significant threat to their population. In the past 10 years, it is estimated that both Canada and Greenland have together slaughtered 500,000 - 800,000 harps seals for their fur, of which over 95% is less than 3 months of age. Learn more. You can help by supporting bans on commercial seal hunting, contributing to organizations working to combat climate change, and protecting sea ice habitats. Reducing pollution in oceans also helps protect their marine ecosystem.