Information on White Seals

Harp seals are born with furry white coats which remain with them for their early years. These coats are beautiful and have a high value which attracts hunters.

  1. Features

    • Harp seals spend most of their time swimming or relaxing in the ocean. They are very proficient swimmers and feed on small fish and shellfish.

    Geography

    • Harp seals can be found in the North Atlantic, Arctic Ocean and the land that borders these bodies of water. Each year harp seals return to their breeding grounds in Newfoundland and Greenland. They can also be found in the White Sea in northwest Russia.

    White Coats

    • Young harp seals are famous for their white coats. Harp seals do not retain their white coats for their entire lives; they eventually develop a coat that is yellow or light gray.

    Fun Fact

    • Harp seals can remain underwater for nearly 15 minutes.

    Considerations

    • Harp seals are the most hunted type of seal for commercial purposes. The young seals are the most commonly hunted because of the value of their white coats. Hundreds of thousands of harp seals are killed each year.