Britannica Sources used in this answer

harp seal

Which harp seal population breeds near Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

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 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.

The largest population of harp seals, which consists of approximately 5 million animals, inhabits the northwestern Atlantic and breeds near the coast of Newfoundland and within the Gulf of St. Lawrence.1