Seals
Seals belong to the order Pinnipeds. This term is derived from the Latin word “pinnipes”, which means “wing or fin-footed”. This is likely a reference to the animals fin-like appendages. All pinnipeds are adapted to an aquatic lifestyle; with large bodies, flippers as fore and hind limbs, and an enclosed bone structure that has been adapted for efficient swimming while still allowing locomotion on land. Most pinnipeds also have a layer of fat (blubber) for insulation and good underwater vision.
There are three families of PInnipeds.
Family Otariidae: This family is comprised of sea lions and fur seals, also known as eared seals for their external ear flaps. There are 15 species in this family. Members of this family can walk on their hind flippers, as well as their foreflippers.
Family Odobenidea: The walrus is the only member of this family. They lack the external ear flaps of the eared seals, but are able to walk on their hind flippers, unlike the phocids.
Family Phocidae: This family is known as the true seals or earless seals because they lack external ear flaps. They do not have the ability to walk on their hind flippers. This family contains 19 species.
The two most common seals species in Maine, the Gray Seal and the Harbor Seal, come from the Family Phocidae.
There are three families of PInnipeds.
Family Otariidae: This family is comprised of sea lions and fur seals, also known as eared seals for their external ear flaps. There are 15 species in this family. Members of this family can walk on their hind flippers, as well as their foreflippers.
Family Odobenidea: The walrus is the only member of this family. They lack the external ear flaps of the eared seals, but are able to walk on their hind flippers, unlike the phocids.
Family Phocidae: This family is known as the true seals or earless seals because they lack external ear flaps. They do not have the ability to walk on their hind flippers. This family contains 19 species.
The two most common seals species in Maine, the Gray Seal and the Harbor Seal, come from the Family Phocidae.
Gray Seal
Scientific Name: Halichoerus grypus
Appearance : These seals are large-bodied and rotund at the torso. The head is long, broad, and flat. Adult males are up to three times larger than the females. Males are generally a dark gray, brown, or lack with lighter spots all over the body. Females and juveniles are lighter with dark blotches. Their coat patterns appear to be individually unique.
Location: These seals generally form colonies on rocky island or mainland beaches.
Diet: Gray seals eat a variety of fish, crustaceans (crabs, shrimp), and cephalopods(squid, octopus). They may also eat seabirds if they get the chance. They can dive down between 30-70 meters when feeding.
Gray seals tend to live between 35-25 years. The females generally live longer than the males. These seals are often hunted by large sharks and orcas (killer whales).
These seals spend a lot of time out at sea feeding. When they gather, it’s usually to breed, molt, or rest. They are solitary when feeding at sea and generally avoid social contact when resting, unless it is to mate or nurse young.
Appearance : These seals are large-bodied and rotund at the torso. The head is long, broad, and flat. Adult males are up to three times larger than the females. Males are generally a dark gray, brown, or lack with lighter spots all over the body. Females and juveniles are lighter with dark blotches. Their coat patterns appear to be individually unique.
Location: These seals generally form colonies on rocky island or mainland beaches.
Diet: Gray seals eat a variety of fish, crustaceans (crabs, shrimp), and cephalopods(squid, octopus). They may also eat seabirds if they get the chance. They can dive down between 30-70 meters when feeding.
Gray seals tend to live between 35-25 years. The females generally live longer than the males. These seals are often hunted by large sharks and orcas (killer whales).
These seals spend a lot of time out at sea feeding. When they gather, it’s usually to breed, molt, or rest. They are solitary when feeding at sea and generally avoid social contact when resting, unless it is to mate or nurse young.
Harbor Seal
Scientific Name: Phoca vitulina
Appearance : These seals are medium sized with a short spindle-shaped body. It has a robust head with a long, broad snout. Its flippers are short with sturdy claws on the foreflippers. They vary in color and can be tan to silver with scattered darker spots or darker with light rings. Harbor seals in the North Atlantic generally have the darker coats with light rings. Adult males are larger than the females.
Location: These seals like to forge for food in a variety of areas including: coastal lagoons and estuaries, rocky coastal areas, and the mouths of freshwater streams and rivers. They haul out on sandy or pebble beaches when they haul out to breed or molt.
Diet: Harbor seals have a varied diet. They will eat demersal fish, pelagic schooling fish, squid, and octopus; depending on what is available.
Harbor seals are the most common seal species. There are 5 subspecies of harbor seals. The subspecies found in Maine is the Western Atlantic Harbor Seal, whose range extends from the Canadian Arctic down to New Jersey.
These seals are only found in large groups for breeding and molting. Other than mating and nursing pups, these seals are generally solitary. They are quite curious, however, and have been known to investigate scuba divers and snorkelers.
Appearance : These seals are medium sized with a short spindle-shaped body. It has a robust head with a long, broad snout. Its flippers are short with sturdy claws on the foreflippers. They vary in color and can be tan to silver with scattered darker spots or darker with light rings. Harbor seals in the North Atlantic generally have the darker coats with light rings. Adult males are larger than the females.
Location: These seals like to forge for food in a variety of areas including: coastal lagoons and estuaries, rocky coastal areas, and the mouths of freshwater streams and rivers. They haul out on sandy or pebble beaches when they haul out to breed or molt.
Diet: Harbor seals have a varied diet. They will eat demersal fish, pelagic schooling fish, squid, and octopus; depending on what is available.
Harbor seals are the most common seal species. There are 5 subspecies of harbor seals. The subspecies found in Maine is the Western Atlantic Harbor Seal, whose range extends from the Canadian Arctic down to New Jersey.
These seals are only found in large groups for breeding and molting. Other than mating and nursing pups, these seals are generally solitary. They are quite curious, however, and have been known to investigate scuba divers and snorkelers.
MarineBio. (2014). Gray Seals. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=300
MarineBio. (2014). Harbor Seals. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=158
Reeves, R. R., Stewart, B. S., Clapham, P. J., Powell, J. A. (2002). Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. New York, New York: National Audubon Society.
MarineBio. (2014). Harbor Seals. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=158
Reeves, R. R., Stewart, B. S., Clapham, P. J., Powell, J. A. (2002). Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. New York, New York: National Audubon Society.
Updated: December 2, 2014