harbor seal genus

mellonae, and P.v. concolor, P.v. You can copy this taxon into another guide. They develop quickly on their mothers' fat-rich milk and are weaned after four to six weeks. Historically, scientists classified P. largha (the … The Harbor seal is an important indicator species. They may spend several days at sea and travel up to 50 kilometers in search of feeding grounds, and will also swim some distance upstream into freshwater in large rivers. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared seals, and true seals), they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlanticand Pacific oceans, the Baltic and North Seas. Genus Phoca harbor seals. Massachusetts is the southernmost point of known pupping areas along the Atlantic Coast. Previously harp seals went under the genus Phoca along with some other seal types. They tend to stay within … The California population of subspecies richardsi amounted to approximately 25,000 individuals as of 1984. The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) is the most widely occurring phocid seal in the world.In the United States, it is found on both the east and west coasts. There are an estimated 350,000–500,000 harbor seals worldwide. Occasionally, areas further south in Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey, and even North Carolina have reported small populations or stranded seals have been found in and near islands or on beaches. Harbor seals must spend a great deal of time on shore when moulting, which occurs shortly after breeding. (Phoca Vitulina) Harbor seals are earless seals (true seals). In the United States the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 prohibits the killing of any marine mammals and most local ordinances as well as NOAA instruct citizens to leave them alone unless there is serious danger to the seal. Females bear a single pup after a nine-month gestation, which they care for alone. Before a deep dive, harbor seals slow their heart rates from upwards of 80 (averaging between 80 and 120) beats per minute to as few as three or four. Genus: Phoca Linnaeus, 1758 – hair seals, harbor seals : Species: Phoca vitulina Linnaeus, 1758 – Harbor Seal, phoque commun, Foca común, common seal : Direct Children: Subspecies: Phoca vitulina mellonae Doutt, 1942 – Ungava harbor seal : Subspecies: Phoca vitulina richardii (Gray, 1864) – Pacific harbor seal The mothers are the sole providers of care, with lactation lasting four to six weeks. Individual harbor seals possess a unique pattern of spots, either dark on a light background or light on a dark. The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), also called the common seal, is a true seal.They are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific ocean as well as Baltic and North Seas making them the most wide-ranging of the pinnipeds (walruses, eared seals, and true seals).. Harbor Seal Species. The timing of onset of moult depends on the age and sex of the animal, with yearlings moulting first and adult males last. Although some of the largest pupping areas harbor seals are found in California, harbor seals are found north along the Pacific Coast of the US in both Oregon and Washington. Family: Phocidae. Gray seals, like all marine mammals, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The harbor seal can dive to depths exceeding 600 ft (185 m) and can remain submerged for over 20 minutes. Their size varies fairly widely across their distribution with the smallest animals weighing around 80-90kg (N. Gulf of Alaska) and the largest animals weighing up to about 170kg (Aleutian Islands). stejnegeri. Phoca vitulina. Atlantic subspecies of either Europe or North America will also exploit deeper dwelling fish of the genus Ammodytes as a food source and Pacific subspecies have been recorded occasionally consuming fish of the genus Oncorhynchus. richardsi, P.v.vitulina, P.v. One way to tell a seal from a sea lion is that the seal has no visible ear flaps. There are five subspecies of Phoca vitulina: Harbor seals prefer to frequent familiar resting sites. Harbor seals are five to six feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds, with males being slightly larger than females. They may travel up to 30 miles in search of feeding grounds, even traveling up freshwater rivers at times in pursuit of species such as salmon. Females are generally smaller than males. As top level feeders in the kelp forest, harbor seals enhance species diversity and productivity. It moves awkwardly on land, but is well-suited for the water environment. Populations have increased and none of the harbor seal species are currently endangered. The most widely distributed of pinniped (walruses, eared seals, and true seals), they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Baltic and North Seas. Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Harbor Seal pup. It literally means "ice-lover from Greenland", or if you are looking at its synonym Phoca greolandica that means “Greenland seal”. Classification Also known as the common seal, there are five subspecies of harbor seal, all geographically separated from one another. Harbor seals are brown, tan, or gray, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. Harbor Seal Genus. Including the head and flippers, they may reach an adult length of 1.85 meters (6.1 ft) and a weight of 55 to 168 kg (120 to 370 lb). Harbor seals can dive to depths of 500 feet (152.4 meters) but depths of up to 1,460 feet (446 meters) have been recorded. Harbor seals are solitary but are gregarious when hauled out and during the breeding season, though they do not form groups as large as some other seals. Harbour seals frequently congregate in harbors, sandy intertidal zones, and estuaries in pursuit of prey fish such as menhaden, anchovy, sea bass, herring, mackerel, cod, whiting and flatfish, and occasionally shrimp, crabs, mollusks and squid. They tend to be coastal, not venturing more than 20 kilometers offshore. Phoca vitulina is found in temperate, sub‐artic, and arctic waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Harbor seals belong to the scientific order Pinnipedia, which includes seals, sea lions, and walruses. All true seals have short forelimbs, or flippers. The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere.The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared seals, and true seals), they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Baltic and North Seas. An ear canal may be visible behind the eye. Animal Database is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Once a common practice, sealing is now illegal in many nations within the animal's range. The scientific name is Phagocillus groenlandicus because most harp seals can be found in Greenland. Males may fight over mates underwater and on land. Large populations move with the season down the West Coast of Canada and may winter on the islands in Washington and Oregon. Resting sites may be both rugged, rocky coasts, such as those of the Hebrides or the shorelines of New England, or sandy beaches. http://www.inaturalist.org/photos/3238907, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoca_vitulina. The single pups are born well developed, capable of swimming and diving within hours. Pacific harbor seals or Californian harbour seals are found along the entire Pacific coast shoreline of the state. Seals are also taken in subsistence hunting and accidentally as bycatch (mainly in bottomset nets). Adult males can reach 300 pounds and 6 feet in length compared to adult females, which weigh about 190 pounds and about 5 feet in length. Genus and Species: Phoca vitulina. They can remain submerged for up to 30 minutes at a time. The photographer, Gale, is a research associate at Allied Whale and was involved in the rescue of this pup. Females outlive males (30–35 years versus 20–25 years). Harbor seal pups weigh around 25 pounds at birth and are 3 feet in length. Blubber under the seal's skin helps to maintain body temperature. editors of this guide it should copy everything, but if you're not, it Harbor seals are seldom aggressive and usually curious. The timing of the pupping season varies with location, occurring in February for populations in lower latitudes, and as late as July in the subarctic zone. This onshore time is important to the life cycle, and can be disturbed when there is substantial human presence. The life of a harbor seal. They vary in color from brownish black to tan or grey; underparts are generally lighter. They prefer to remain relatively close to shore in subtidal and intertidal zones, and have not been seen beyond the Channel Islands as a pelagic form; moreover, they will often venture into bays and estuaries and even swim up coastal rivers. They tend to be coastal, not venturing more than 20 kilometers offshore. (c) Robin Gwen Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Pusa: pictures (1) Pusa: specimens (4) ADW Pocket Guides on the iOS App Store! Although primarily coastal, dives to over 500 m have been recorded. Typically seals go to an on shore location every reproductive season to mate, feed, and raise their young. Description. Harbor seals stick to familiar resting spots or haulout sites, generally rocky areas (although ice, sand and mud may also be used) where they are protected from adverse weather conditions and predation, near a foraging area. Phoca is a genus of the earless seals, within the Family Phocidae. The harbor seal cannot walk on all four limbs like a sea lion. The Animal Diversity Web team is excited to announce ADW Pocket Guides! ORDER: SUBORDER: FAMILY: GENUS: SPECIES: SUB-SPECIES: Carnivora Pinnipedia Phocidae Phoca vitulina richardsi Suckling for three to four weeks, pups feed on the mother's rich, fatty milk and grow rapidly; born weighing up to 16 kilograms, the pups may double their weight by the time of weaning. The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. Pups can weigh up to 16 kg (35 lb) and are able to swim and dive within hours of birth. This provides the benefit of sites for birthing, rest and thermoregulation, and avoiding predators. A female will mate again immediately following the weaning of her pup. Harbor seals haul out throughout the year, that is, they come out of the sea onto terrestrial grounds on icebergs or land. An adult can attain a length of 1.85 meters (6.1 ft) and a mass of 132 kilograms (290 lb). richardsi, vitulina, concolor, mellonae, stejnegeri) Harbor seal habitat and distribution. A harbor seal… Harbor seals have been known to … The coat of a harbor seal is spotted in shades ranging from silver-gray to black to dark brown, and the spot pattern is unique to each individual seal. Based on genetics, harbor seals are placed in a clade with their closest relative, the spotted seal as well as the gray seal and ringed seal, Caspian seal and Baikal seal. They are preyed upon by killer whales (orcas) and white sharks. The harbor seal is often also classified as order “Pinnipedia.” Habitat & Range Harbor seals live in temperate, subarctic and Arctic Ocean waters, and occasionally fresh water lakes and rivers. There is an interesting story and photos of the rescue on Gale's Flickr page Photograph by Gale McCullough. They are the most readily observed earless seal in American waters and are widespread on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. It is a pinniped (related to walruses and sea lions) that lives along shorelines in the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in temperate, subarctic, and arctic waters. Harbor seals move down from eastern Canadian waters to breed along the coast of Maine in May and June, and return northward in fall. Phoca: pictures (25) Phoca: specimens (6) Genus Pusa ringed, Baikal, and Caspian seals. The harbor seal is carnivorous, feeding mostly on fish and various invertebrate species. Order: Pinnipedia. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Local populations have been reduced or eliminated through disease (especially the phocine distemper virus) and conflict with humans, both unintentionally and intentionally. Along the Norwegian coast bycatch accounted for 48% of pup mortality. Seals in the United Kingdom are protected by the 1970 Conservation of Seals Act, which prohibits most forms of killing. Nostrils appear distinctively V-shaped. The mating system is not known, but thought to be polygamous. NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting gray seals. Harbor seals are solitary but are gregarious when hauled out and during the breeding season, though they do not form groups as large as some other seals. Phoca. The Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) is a mid-sized North American mustelid available for download in Planet Zoo. How many subspecies of harbor seals? 5 (P.v. Harbor seals weigh up to 285 pounds and measure up to 6 feet in length. Outside of this, they often share their habitat with harbor seals. They feed in shallow littoral waters on herring, flounder, hake, anchovy, codfish and sculpin. As with other true seals, there is no pinna (ear flap). https://animals.fandom.com/wiki/Harbor_Seal?oldid=72008. Phoca vitulina, the harbor seal, also known as the common seal, belongs to the family Phocidae, or true seals, within the order Carnivora. The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), also known as saddleback seal or Greenland seal, is a species of earless seal, or true seal, native to the northernmost Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean.Originally in the genus Phoca with a number of other species, it was reclassified into the monotypic genus Pagophilus in 1844. Harbor Seal. If you are one of the Gray seals gather in large groups during the mating/pupping and molting seasons. The mating system is not known, but thought to be Harbor seals generally molt 2 to 3 months after pupping, leading to high numbers of them in haul-out locations. Harbor seals are sometimes reluctant to haul out in the presence of humans, so shoreline development and access must be carefully studied in known locations of seal haul out. The global population of harbor seals is 350,000–500,000, but subspecies in certain habitats are threatened. The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. Harbour seals have been recorded to attack, kill and eat several kinds of duck. Considerable scientific inquiry has been carried out by The Marine Mammal Center and other research organizations beginning in the 1980s regarding the incidence and transmission of diseases in harbor seals in the wild, including analysis of phocine herpesvirus. Researchers have found males gather underwater, turn on their backs, put their heads together and vocalize to attract females ready for breeding. Breeding occurs in California from March to May, pupping between April and May, depending on local populations. Birthing of pups occurs annually on shore. In other words, the health of seal populations can tell us a lot about the health of our marine ecosystems. Females give birth once per year, with a gestation period of approximately nine months. Both courtship and mating occur underwater. It is legal to kill seals perceived to threaten fisheries in the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada, but commercial hunting is illegal. They also lack external ear flaps and instead have a small hole (opening to the ear canal) on either side of their head. Facts about the genus Phoca, the harbor seals However, Rice (1998) states that the inclusion of a large number of species in the genus Phoca is not admissible and therefor the genus Pusa (which includes the ringed seal, the Caspian seal and the Baikal seal) is a valid genus. The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The Harbor Seal is a marine mammal that spends most of its life in the sea, but also enjoys sunbathing on rocks or on the beach. Harbor seals are normally found along the Atlantic Coast and islands from Maine southward to Massachusetts. While the population is not threatened as a whole, the Greenland, Hokkaidō and Baltic Sea populations are exceptions. The protection these seals receive is how they developed the name harbor seal (Seal … When not actively feeding they will haul to rest. In the San Francisco Bay, some harbor seals are fully or partially reddish in color, possibly caused by an accumulation of trace elements such as iron or selenium in the ocean, or a change in the hair follicles. When not actively feeding they will haul to rest. Each subspecies is separated geographically, and so is reproductively isolated. will only copy the licensed content. These coastal landmarks (called haul-out sites) provide protection from predators, and harsh weather. Genus, Species - Phoca Vitulina Most scientists recognize five subspecies of harbor seals: P.v. Harbor seals are part of the true seal family. Vitulina. Harbor Seal: Class: Mammalia. Genus: Phoca (harbor seals) Species: Phoca vitulina (harbor seals) Life Span: 40 years (wild) / 47 years (zoo) Size: Male: 5.2 – 6.2 feet (1.6 – 1.9 m) / female: 5.2 – 5.5 feet (1.6 – 1.7 m) Weight: Male: 176 – 374 lbs (79.8 – 169.6 kg) / female: 132 – 319 pounds (59.9 – 144.7 kg) Fun Facts. Both courtship and mating occur underwater. The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The body and flippers are short, heads are rounded. Seals have a life span of about 25 to 30 years. Photographer, Gale, is a research associate at Allied Whale and involved! By killer whales ( orcas ) and are weaned after four to six weeks but thought to polygamous! Depending on local populations actively feeding they will haul to rest populations can tell us lot! Year, with lactation lasting four to six weeks, sealing is now illegal in many nations the. 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