The harp seal ( Pagophilus groenlandica ) is a medium-sized, grayish earless seal easily identified by the black harp-shaped marking on its back. They live on or near ice floes from Russia's Kara Sea to Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence. Harp seals are abundant, with a total population of nearly 7.5 million, divided into three groups. Pups are called "whitecoats" because of their pure white fur, which they shed at about two weeks old. Adults can grow to about 1.8 meters in length. They spend most of their time in the water, but come on land or ice to give birth, raise their young and molt. Harp seals have been commercially hunted for over two centuries.

Where do harp seals live?

Harp seals live on or near ice floes from Russia's Kara Sea west to Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence. They spend most of their lives in the water but come ashore to give birth, rear their young, and molt. There are three distinct populations: * The largest inhabits the northwestern Atlantic, breeding near Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. * The second largest is in the Barents Sea, breeding on the ice-covered White Sea in northwest Russia. * The smallest inhabits the area between Norway’s Jan Mayen Island and Greenland's east coast, mating mainly near Jan Mayen Island. Harp seals migrate from Arctic waters to the White Sea, the eastern North Atlantic, and Newfoundland to reproduce between January and April before returning north.

What do harp seals look like?

Harp seals possess different appearances at varying stages of their lives. Newborn pups are called "whitecoats" because of their pure white fur, which lasts about two weeks. As dark hair grows under the white fur, they develop a grayish color and are then called "graycoats." After shedding the white coat, they become gray with dark spots and are called "beaters". At 13–14 months, they molt again, retaining their spotted pelt and are then called "bedlamers." With sexual maturity at four or five years, they transition to their adult coloration. Adult harp seals have a black face and a gray body accented by a black harp-shaped marking on their backs. Adults of both sexes measure about 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length.

What do harp seals eat?

Harp seals consume a variety of prey, with their diet primarily consisting of small fishes like capelin and Arctic cod . They also eat numerous invertebrates. Contrary to popular belief, harp seals rarely consume the commercially important Atlantic cod.

How do harp seals adapt to cold environments?

Harp seals are well-adapted to the frigid environments they inhabit. They possess a thick layer of blubber beneath their skin, which serves as insulation, provides a food reserve, and contributes to buoyancy. At birth, harp seal pups have thick fur that keeps them warm, since they lack blubber. They also gain about 2 kg (4.4 pounds) per day of blubber from their mother’s milk during their nursing period. Adult harp seals have a gray coat accented by a black harp-shaped marking on their back. Harp seals are found on or near ice floes from the Kara Sea of Russia west to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. They spend most of their lives in the water, though they come on land or ice to give birth, rear their young and molt.

What threats do harp seals face in the wild?

Harp seals face threats from both natural predators and human activities. Their natural predators include polar bears , killer whales , and large sharks. Harp seals have been hunted commercially for their meat, skins, fur, and blubber for over two centuries. Although there are strict regulations and governmental controls over harvesting activities, the annual seal harvest remains an object of highly publicized controversy, attracting much international media coverage.

harp seal

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Images & Videos

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.

Until they become about two weeks old, harp seals bear fluffy white coats that are highly valued by the fur trade.

Clubbing of a young harp seal during the annual seal hunt, Canada.

At a Glance

harp seal summary

harp seal

mammal

Also known as: Pagophilus groenlandica, Phoca groenlandica, saddleback(Show More)

Written by

Serge Lariviere

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Top Questions

What is a harp seal?
The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandica) is a medium-sized, grayish earless seal easily identified by the black harp-shaped marking on its back. They live on or near ice floes from Russia's Kara Sea to Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Harp seals are abundant, with a total population of nearly 7.5 million, divided into three groups. Pups are called "whitecoats" because of their pure white fur, which they shed at about two weeks old. Adults can grow to about 1.8 meters in length. They spend most of their time in the water, but come on land or ice to give birth, raise their young and molt.

Harp seals have been commercially hunted for over two centuries.
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Where do harp seals live?
Harp seals live on or near ice floes from Russia's Kara Sea west to Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence. They spend most of their lives in the water but come ashore to give birth, rear their young, and molt.

There are three distinct populations:
* The largest inhabits the northwestern Atlantic, breeding near Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
* The second largest is in the Barents Sea, breeding on the ice-covered White Sea in northwest Russia.
* The smallest inhabits the area between Norway’s Jan Mayen Island and Greenland's east coast, mating mainly near Jan Mayen Island.

Harp seals migrate from Arctic waters to the White Sea, the eastern North Atlantic, and Newfoundland to reproduce between January and April before returning north.
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1. harp seal
2. migration: Marine mammals
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What do harp seals look like?
Harp seals possess different appearances at varying stages of their lives. Newborn pups are called "whitecoats" because of their pure white fur, which lasts about two weeks. As dark hair grows under the white fur, they develop a grayish color and are then called "graycoats." After shedding the white coat, they become gray with dark spots and are called "beaters".

At 13–14 months, they molt again, retaining their spotted pelt and are then called "bedlamers." With sexual maturity at four or five years, they transition to their adult coloration. Adult harp seals have a black face and a gray body accented by a black harp-shaped marking on their backs. Adults of both sexes measure about 1.8 meters (6 feet) in length.
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2. harp seal: Life cycle
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What do harp seals eat?
Harp seals consume a variety of prey, with their diet primarily consisting of small fishes like capelin and Arctic cod. They also eat numerous invertebrates. Contrary to popular belief, harp seals rarely consume the commercially important Atlantic cod.
2 Britannica Sources
1. rockhopper penguin: Predators and prey
2. harp seal: Life cycle
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How do harp seals adapt to cold environments?
Harp seals are well-adapted to the frigid environments they inhabit. They possess a thick layer of blubber beneath their skin, which serves as insulation, provides a food reserve, and contributes to buoyancy. At birth, harp seal pups have thick fur that keeps them warm, since they lack blubber. They also gain about 2 kg (4.4 pounds) per day of blubber from their mother’s milk during their nursing period. Adult harp seals have a gray coat accented by a black harp-shaped marking on their back.

Harp seals are found on or near ice floes from the Kara Sea of Russia west to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. They spend most of their lives in the water, though they come on land or ice to give birth, rear their young and molt.
2 Britannica Sources
1. harp seal: Life cycle
2. seal: Seal diversity
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What threats do harp seals face in the wild?
Harp seals face threats from both natural predators and human activities. Their natural predators include polar bears, killer whales, and large sharks.

Harp seals have been hunted commercially for their meat, skins, fur, and blubber for over two centuries. Although there are strict regulations and governmental controls over harvesting activities, the annual seal harvest remains an object of highly publicized controversy, attracting much international media coverage.
2 Britannica Sources
1. harp seal: Life cycle
2. seal: Seal diversity
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harp seal, (Pagophilus, or Phoca, groenlandica), medium-sized, grayish earless seal possessing a black harp-shaped or saddle-shaped marking on its back. Harp seals are found on or near ice floes from the Kara Sea of Russia west to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. The harp seal is both the best-known and among the most abundant of all seal species. Worldwide, the total population of harp seals is estimated at nearly 7.5 million animals, which are separated into three distinct populations. The largest population (approximately 5 million animals in 2000) inhabits the northwestern Atlantic and breeds both near the coast of Newfoundland and within the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The second largest population occurs in the vicinity of the Barents Sea, numbers between 1.5 million and 2 million animals, and breeds on the ice-covered White Sea in northwest Russia. The smallest population (approximately 300,000 animals) inhabits the area between Norway’s Jan Mayen Island and the eastern coast of Greenland, and its mating grounds are mainly located near Jan Mayen Island. Each population is considered by some authorities to be a separate subspecies.

Life cycle

The colloquial names for harp seals vary by age and coloration. At birth, pups are known as “whitecoats” because of their pure white pelage. This stage lasts approximately two weeks. The subsequent growth of dark hair under their white fur produces a grayish coloration, and they are called “graycoats.” Once the white coat is completely shed, the seals become gray with dark spots and are often referred to as “beaters” because of the sound made by their tails as they learn to swim. At 13–14 months of age the seals molt again, and their spotted pelt remains. At this stage they are called “bedlamers.” The transition from bedlamer to adult coloration arrives with the onset of sexual maturity, which usually occurs at four or five years of age.

Harp seals spend most of their lives in the water, though some have been known to ride bits of drifting sea ice for short distances during migration. All harp seals must come up on land or ice to give birth, rear their young, and molt. From late February to March, seals relocate to the southern limit of their range to breed and give birth.

Pups are born on the short-lived seasonal platform of pack ice. Each female gives birth to only one pup; twins are extremely rare. Pups weigh 11 kg (24 pounds) at birth, but they lack the thick layer of blubber present in adults. Instead, they are insulated by their thick fur and obtain energy from their mothers’ milk, which is rich in fat. During their 12-day nursing period, pups gain about 2 kg (4.4 pounds) per day of blubber, which allows them to attain a weight of approximately 36 kg (79 pounds) at weaning. Weaning is abrupt as females stop nursing their young in order to mate with males. During this time, since the pups do not feed for up to six weeks, they may lose over 50 percent of their body mass. Eventually, hunger motivates the pups to enter the water and start feeding on their own.

Average-sized adults of both sexes measure 1.8 metres in length (6 feet). Male harp seals typically weigh 135 kg (300 pounds), females weigh 120 kg (265 pounds), and the largest adults may reach 180 kg (400 pounds). The face of an adult harp seal is completely black, while the gray coloration of its body is accented by a black harp-shaped marking on its back. Adults typically hold this coloration between five years of age and the end of their lives. The maximum life span for the harp seal is 35 years.

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Adult seals mate either within the water or on top of ice floes. When fertilization occurs, the egg develops into a blastocyst, which floats freely within the uterus for four months until it implants itself in the uterine lining for active development. This delay in implantation stretches gestation time to 11.5 months and effectively postpones the birth of young to the period when enough pack ice is available to act as a whelping platform.

Harp seals are not strong divers compared with other seal species. Their maximum dive depth is 370 metres (1,200 feet), and they may stay underwater for only 16 minutes before resurfacing. Though they consume a wide variety of prey, their diet is centred on small fishes such as capelin (Mallotus villosus), Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), or polar cod (Arctogadus glacialis). They also eat numerous invertebrates. Contrary to popular belief, harp seals rarely consume the commercially important Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Polar bears (Ursus maritimus), killer whales (Orcinus orca), and large sharks are the natural predators of harp seals.

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