Fauna Flora Photography

Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina

Widely distributed along the coasts of North America. This species is brown, silvery white or grey with distinctive V-shaped nostril. Eats mostly fish along the cost and upstream in large rivers.

Specs

Length1.5-2.5m
Weight50-140kg

Common Names

GermanSeehund
EnglishHarbor Seal
FrenchPhoque commun
SpanishFoca común

Taxonomy

OrderCarnivora
FamilyPhocidae
SpeciesPhoca vitulina

How to Identify

The V-shape nostril is the clear distinctive feature of this species.

Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) - Tadoussac - 2018-05-23

Where and When to Spot

The only time I was able to watch this species was in May in Tadoussac from a boat. They were resting on the rocky shore of Saguenay River.

Last updated on 2023-12-15. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.