Harbor seal

How it lives

The harbor seal is a true seal, with no outer ear flaps. It comes out on rocks, reefs and beaches to rest, to warm up or cool down, and to nurse its pups. It feeds alone or in small groups, mainly on fish. Pups can swim within minutes of being born.

Where it goes

Harbor seals are often local and many stay within about 25 to 50 km (15 to 31 miles) of where they were born. Tagged seals have travelled about 100 to 780 km (62 to 486 miles) for seasonal food or to have their pups. They feed in the sea, in estuaries and rivers, and even in some lakes.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

The 2024 marine mammal taxonomy list names one Atlantic subspecies (P. v. vitulina), one Pacific subspecies (P. v. richardii) and a rare freshwater subspecies in Québec (P. v. mellonae); Pacific animals are often larger. The species is Least Concern worldwide, but some regions have declined, such as parts of Alaska and Scotland, where the 2021 to 2025 count was the lowest in 30 years. In Southern California they can be seen at places like La Jolla, Catalina and the Channel Islands.