Harbour Seal

Colour - usually grey with dark brown or black spots; sometimes brown with grey spots or grey or brownish-black; belly lighter and without spots; pups light brown, then more grey

Length - 1 to1.5 metres

Shape - neck thick compared to Harp Seal (which sometimes appears spotted, particularly when young); body more elongate than Ringed Seal (whose rings also sometimes appear from a distance to be spots)

Behaviour - prefers shallow water bays, estuaries, and coastal waters; often solitary, sometimes in loose colonies, but does not congregate in harems; diet is mainly fish, squid, and benthic invertebrates

Distribution - east Coast Baffin Island, Ungava Bay, Hudson Strait, and James Bay in summer; may stay in open water areas in the Arctic over winter

Sensitivity - potential aircraft disturbance would be expected to affect only a very few harbour seals in any one area because they are so sparsely distributed; scientific evidence about reaction to vessels is lacking

Note - They are rarely hunted.

Harbour Seal (39 KB)

Lancaster Sound Area Distribution Maps: This species is not sensitive in this area, therefore no maps are presented.

Coronation Gulf Area Distribution Maps: This species is not sensitive in this area, therefore no maps are presented.