Animal Gallery
Harbour Seal |
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Harbour Seals are the most widely distribute pinniped with the species being found in temperate, sub arctic, and arctic coastal areas on both sides of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.
They bask and sleep on coastal islands, ledges, and beaches and sandbars that are uncovered at low tide. They stay close enough to water to facilitate feeding and mating. Harbour Seals can be up to 6 ft long and weight up to 375 pounds, males characteristically being slightly larger than the females. Usually they are solitary animals, with reproduction and “haul outs” being the only exceptions. Seals “haul out” onto land for various reasons including resting, giving birth, nursing, and molting. Another possible reason for haul outs is protection from predators by being in a group. - Taken from Animal Diversity Web. |
Did you know?
Harbour Seals do not chew their food; they either tear it into chunks or swallow it whole. At the Zoo -
We have two Harbour Seals, a female named Hula and a male called Makani. Hula and Makani were rescued in B.C. and were not able to be re-released into the wild, so they were brought to the Valley Zoo. |
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