Britannica
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When and where do harp seals breed on sea ice?
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Harp seals breed and give birth on pack ice platforms from late February to March. They relocate to the southern limits of their range to utilize this seasonal ice as a whelping platform.1
The breeding grounds are divided among three distinct populations:
- Northwestern Atlantic: This population breeds near the coast of Newfoundland and within the Gulf of St. Lawrence.1
- Barents Sea: This population breeds on the ice-covered White Sea in northwest Russia.1
- Greenland Sea: This smaller population primarily utilizes mating grounds near Jan Mayen Island.1