Table of Contents
What do harp seals do in the winter?
They spend their summers far north, and then migrate south each winter to breed on the pack ice.
Does a harp seal migrate?
Harp seals also feed and travel in large groups during seasonal migrations. They often travel away from the pack ice during the summer and follow the ice north to feed in the Arctic. Annual migrations can be more than 3,100 miles roundtrip.
How does a seal stay warm?
Seals have a thick layer of fat called blubber that helps them to trap warmth in their bodies. The blubber acts as a form of insulation to keep their internal body temperatures warm. Seal pups grow very quickly to build a thick blubber layer so that they can survive in the cold ocean waters.
Where do harp seals live in the world?
Habitat. The harp seal can be found in one of three separate populations, all of which have their own specific breeding zones. The first population is found off the coast of east Canada, second in the “east ice” of eastern Russia in the White Sea, and the third in the “west ice” of eastern Greenland.
How does the environment affect harp seals?
Harp seals rely on the availability of suitable sea ice as a haul-out platform for giving birth, nursing pups, and molting. As such, harp seals are sensitive to changes in the environment that affect the timing and extent of sea ice formation and breakup. NOAA Fisheries is committed to the protection of harp seals.
What kind of fur does a harp seal have?
Harp seal pups have long, wooly, white fur known as lanugo that lasts until about 3 to 4 weeks old. This white fur helps absorb sunlight and trap heat to keep the pups warm. Pups molt several times during their development.
When do harp seals wean their pups?
Harp seals wean when they reach around 80 pounds. After weaning, adult females leave their pups on the pack ice. The pups stay on the ice without eating for about six weeks.