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When do harp seals develop their adult black facial color and harp-shaped back marking?

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harp seal A mother harp seal and a young “whitecoat.” Adult harp seals are gray with black spots. Young harp seals are called “whitecoats,” “bedlamers,” “beaters,” or “graybacks,” depending on their age.

Harp seals develop their characteristic adult coloration—a black face and a black, harp-shaped marking on the back—at the onset of sexual maturity, which typically occurs at four or five years of age.1

Prior to reaching this stage, the seals undergo several developmental phases:
* Whitecoats: Newborn pups possess a pure white pelage for approximately two weeks.1
* Graycoats: As dark hair grows beneath the white fur, the seals transition to a grayish appearance.1
* Beaters: Once the white coat is fully shed, the seals are gray with dark spots.1
* Bedlamers: At 13–14 months of age, the seals molt again, retaining their spotted pelt until they reach sexual maturity.1

Adults typically maintain their black facial and back markings from the age of five until the end of their lives.1