Facts About Snow Seals

Some snow seals have saddlebag markings.

The Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) is commonly known as the snow seal because of its preference of habitat and the white, fluffy fur the seal pups are born with. The Harp seal belongs to the family of true or ear-less seals due to the lack of external ear flaps.

Appearance

Harp seals have large bodies that can weigh up to 400 pounds and tolerate the extremely cold conditions of their natural habitat. The jaws are strong with sharp teeth used for hunting and defense. Harp seals are pale yellow and gray in color, sometimes with a dark mark on their back and sides, which earned these seals another nickname, saddleback seal.

Diet

Snow seals eat a large variety of fish, including cod, herring and halibut. Harp seals also consume shrimp, prawns, crab and lobster. In search of food, snow seals can submerge to depths more than 328 feet.

Breeding

Snow seals breed in Newfoundland, and around Greenland and the White Sea. Every year, the seals return to these areas to start the mating ritual. Males claim their mates by dancing and battling each other. Once mated, the females gather for birth. Snow seals are born directly on the ice, and all have identical white coats. Mothers are capable of identifying their pups by their scent.

The Young

Snow seal pups have a white coat that provides perfect camouflage when alone on the ice. During their first two weeks of life, the pups stay with their mother and practically triple in weight. The newly gained excess fat sustains the young seal while it learns how to feed and hunt on its own. At this time, the young pup also begins to shed the white coat, adapting a darker adult coat.

Habitat

Snow seals are found in the Arctic zones and the northern Atlantic Ocean. These seals prefer intense cold and icy ground. There are three distinct populations, each claiming their own breeding grounds. Those that belong to the northwest Atlantic population, breed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and near the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland. The population of east Greenland breeds off the coast of Jan Mayen Island. The Barents Sea snow seals breed in the White Sea.

Threats

The white coat of the young pups has attracted human hunters for centuries. The intense hunting of the snow seals began during the 16th century. The adult Harp seals are also hunted for their lustrous natural oil and some body parts are sold as exotic aphrodisiacs. Overfishing in the seal hunting territory and the loss of Arctic ice are also factors of the diminishing population of the Harp seal.

References

• National Geographic: Harp Seals
• Marine Bio: The Harp Seal
• Harp Seal
• Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island: Harp Seal
• NOAA Fisheries: Harp Seal