1. Swimming: Harp seals are highly adapted for aquatic life and excel at swimming. Their streamlined bodies, forelimbs modified into flippers, and powerful tail enable them to propel themselves efficiently through the water. They exhibit impressive agility and speed while swimming.
2. Crawling: When on land or ice, harp seals resort to crawling as their primary mode of locomotion. They propel themselves by using their forelimbs and hindlimbs in a coordinated manner, with occasional assistance from their tails. Crawling allows them to move short distances on land.
3. Haul-out: Harp seals frequently haul out onto ice floes or beaches for various purposes, such as pupping, resting, molting, and avoiding predators. These haul-out behaviors involve moving from the water onto land or ice and back again. While hauling out, their locomotion may involve crawling or shuffling, depending on the terrain and their physical condition.
4. Vertical posture: Occasionally, harp seals assume a semi-upright vertical posture on land or ice. They rest their weight on their tail while positioning their body in a slightly lifted position to increase their mobility and observe their surroundings effectively.