|
|
|RINGED
SEAL| |HARBOR SEAL| |ELEPHANT
SEAL| |WHITE-WINGED SCOTER|
|SURF SCOTER| |PACIFIC
HALIBUT| |BLACK BEAR|
DOWNLOAD
FACT SHEET AS PDF
|
HARBOR SEAL TAXONOMY
|
| Kingdom: |
Animalia |
Anima = soul, spirit |
| Phylum: |
Chordata |
Chord = a string,
musical instrument. Chordata = having a notocord or
"back-string". |
| Class: |
mammalia |
Mamm = breast,
pap, teats |
| Order: |
Carnivora |
Carn = flesh |
| Suborder: |
Pinnipedia |
Pinna (penna) =
a wing, also a feather. Ped = a foot |
| Family: |
Phocidae |
"Phocids"
are also known as "true seals" |
| Genus: |
Phoca |
Greek word meaning
"seal" |
| Species: |
vitulina |
vitula = "calf"
and inas = "like" |
| Subspecies: |
richardsi |
--east Pacific
Ocean population **We have these** |
| Subspecies: |
stejneger |
--west Pacific
Ocean population |
| Subspecies: |
concolor |
--west North Atlantic
population **we have these* |
| Subspecies: |
vitulina |
--east North Atlantic
population |
| Subspecies: |
mellonae |
--population found
on isolated island |
| Subspecies: |
kurilensis |
--population found
on isolated island |
 |
| Range |
Circumpolar
distribution in Northern hemisphere; in Atlantic,
Western populations concentrating from Greenland to
Hudson Bay (Massachusetts) but can be found as far
south as Florida, Eastern populations ranging from
Norway to southern France; in Pacific, populations
range from Baja, CA to Nome, AK including Aleutian,
Pribilof, and Commander Island chains. |
| Predators |
Killer
whales, sharks, Steller sea lions, bears, coyotes,
and eagles |
| Prey |
Pelagic
and benthic fish (capelin, herring, pollock), cephalopods
(squid), crustaceans, eels, and mollusks--wild animals
may consume 6-8% of their body weight in food per
day |
| Size |
Males:
4 to 6 feet in length,100-180 Kg
Females: 4 to 5 feet in length, 60-110 Kg
Pups: 2.5 to 3 feet in length, 8-12 Kg |
| Life
Span |
The oldest
recorded captive animals have lived to be 32 and 26
for females and males, respectively. In the wild,
their life span is shorter (15-20 years) due to predation
and availability of food. |
| Reproduction |
Harbor
seals reach sexual maturity at 3-7 years of age.
Breeding males will defend a group of females and
follow that group through different territories.
Copulation usually occurs in the water. Once the
animals have mated, the gestation period is about
10 months. Females will give birth to one pup per
season and will nurse that pup for about 2-6 weeks.
Pups begin to lose their lanugo (birth coat) in the
womb and continue to shed for a few weeks after birth.
Markings of an adult are present after shedding.
The blubber layer of a newborn is about 1.3 cm and
will grow rapidly during nursing. Pups are able to
swim almost immediately after birth. Pupping season
varies with different populations, but in general
occurs between Feb. and Sept., with most births in
June. Pups are born on rocks, sandbanks, intertidal
zones, and ice. Mating occurs shortly after the
female gives birth, but implantation of the egg into
the uterine lining is delayed for 1.5-3 months. |
| Seasonal
Change |
An annual
molt will occur between May and October (varying with
population) in which the animal will lose old hair
and grow a new coat. The new coat has a bluish tinge,
where the older hair is browner in color. There may
be seasonal travels to follow food, but most animals
stay in the same area year round. |
| Morphology
And Function |
Fore Flippers: used mostly for steering
while in the water and pulling their bodies along
while on land (have nails to help move around on
the rocks / ice as well as for defense). Phocids
also use their front flippers to scratch.
Rear Flippers: used for propelling through
the water; animal uses a lateral motion where one
flipper will close while the other sweeps through
the water in a back and forth motion. These also
have nails, which are not known to serve any purpose.
Whiskers (also called vibrissae): three
types; supracilliary (above the eye), rhinal
(above the nose), mystachial (beside the
nose---most noticeable). These are the main tactile
structures and are used during navigation, foraging,
etc.
****Phocids lack external ear pinnae (ear flaps)---this
does not affect their ability to hear.
****Phocids can not support their body weight on
their front flippers like a sea lion. On land they
“hop” along or “inch worm” on their bellies.
|
| Unique
Facts |
Phocids (including harbor seals) are more abundant
than Otariids (sea lions). This is mostly due to
the fact that Phocids tend to live in more productive
habitats.
Phocids have blubber as insulation.
Harbor seals can swim up to speeds of 2-6 meters
per second, utilizing 60-78 flipper beats per minute.
Phocids have a hearing range of 10-30 kHz in the
water and 3-10 kHz in the air.
**People have a hearing range of 20 Hz – 20
kHz with 20 kHz being the threshold of pain
**Harbor Seals spend much of their time
hovering on the water’s surface because their blubber
makes them buoyant.
|
ASLC
has seven Harbor Seals, three males and four females.
HOME
: ABOUT SATELLITE
TELEMETRY: :ANIMAL
TRACKING DATA: :CLASSROOM
FEATURES:
:ANIMAL
FACT SHEETS: :VIDEO
DOWNLOADS: :ASK
A MASTER SCIENTIST: :SITE
FEEDBACK:
|
