These baby Harp Seals are made by several
companies. The one at left is from Dakin and is retired. The
next one is Seamore the Seal and is a Beanie Baby, then a little
Soft Spot Seal from Ganz, a large baby Harp Seal from the Stuffed
Animal House is next and last at far right is a baby Harp Seal
from Hansa Plush. Many of these items can be found in our Gift Shop.
The Harp Seal or Saddle-backed Seal, Pagophilus
groenlandicus, has received a lot of media attention due
to the hunting of the white babies by sealers.
Thousands of young are born in March off
the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Each one weighs about 9 pounds.
There is usually one in a litter, and twins are rare. Their eyes
are open at birth. Their coat is white and woolly and is replaced
in about four weeks with coarse, pale-gray hair when the pups
are ready to enter the water.
The coloration is good protection for the
babies, since they remain on the snow-covered ice packs until
ready to enter the water. Then their coat changes to gray, which
gives them more protection while in the water.
Adult bulls measure up to six feet in length
and weigh up to 400 pounds. There is presently a harvest quota
of these seals set at 186,000 per year. The harp seal migrates
with the seasons and in winter follows the floes of the open
ice as far south as Newfoundland.
The adult male harp seal is light gray
to yellowish with a dark brown or black face and a brown band
marking across its back and sides. The female is dull white to
straw colored.
Harp seals feed on herring, cod and crustaceans.
They can descend to a depth of 800 feet and remain under water
for up to 17 minutes. They can swim as fast as 20 mph, but usually
swim more slowly. The life span can reach 30 years, though this
is rare.
