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What do harp seals eat?
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seal
Crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus).
Harp seals consume a wide variety of prey, though their diet is primarily centered on small fishes such as capelin, Arctic cod, and polar cod (Arctogadus glacialis). In addition to these fish, they also eat numerous invertebrates.1
While they are opportunistic feeders, harp seals rarely consume Atlantic cod, despite common misconceptions to the contrary. Their feeding habits are part of a broader food web supported by algae living within sea ice, which sustains various organisms ranging from crustaceans to seals.12