Habitat
The harp seal lives in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, near the North Pole. They spend most of their time in the water, since the water is warmer than the snowy land. Baby seals spend most of their time on the land, where their white fur blends in with the snow and ice.
Diet
Harp seals are carnivores, which means they eat meat. They eat many kinds of sea animals including crabs, eels, shrimp, squid, plankton, and jellyfish. Harp seal babies usually just drink their mother's milk.
Movement
Seals are fast swimmers, and spend most of their time in the water. They use their hind flippers to swim using a side-to-side motion, like fish.
Harp seals cannot use their rear flippers to walk on land. They pull themselves forward on their bellies, using
their front flippers and powerful stomach muscles.
Harp seals cannot use their rear flippers to walk on land. They pull themselves forward on their bellies, using
their front flippers and powerful stomach muscles.
Description
Harp seals grow to be 5 to 6 feet long and 300 to 400 pounds in weight. Males are silvery grey with a black head and a horseshoe-shaped band across their backs. Females have a lighter head and the band across their back is lighter.
Seal babies, called pups, have silky white fur at birth. After one to two weeks they moult and turn silvery grey with dark spots.
Seal babies, called pups, have silky white fur at birth. After one to two weeks they moult and turn silvery grey with dark spots.
Enemies
Harp seals have many enemies including sharks, orcas, polar bears, and walruses. Their greatest enemies are human. Humans hunt harp seals for many products, especially the white fur from the baby harp seals.