OuiSi - Logo - Blk
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina

Location

San Benito Islands, Mexico

Date

21/05/2012

Description

Harbor seals have short, dog-like snouts. The color of each seal’s fur varies but there are two basic patterns: light tan, silver, or blue-gray with dark speckling or spots, and a dark background with light rings. Harbor seals molt (shed hair) in the mid to late summer for 1-2 months, spending more time out of the water. The harbor seal’s diet consists mainly of fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Harbor seals complete both shallow and deep dives while hunting, depending on the availability of prey. They can sleep underwater and come up for air once every 30 minutes.

Photo Link

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwkaA3OBcSh/

Learn More

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/harbor-seal
Octavio Aburto
Professional photographer associated at the iLCP and a Associate Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Learn more about Octavio Aburto.

Explore more with OuiSi Nature

OuiSi Nature: 5 – Columnar Basalt, Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall – Camille Seaman
OuiSi Nature: 195 – Tabular Iceberg – Daniel Beltra
OuiSi Nature: 122 – Sori on a Polystichum Munitum Frond – Matt Berger
OuiSi Nature: 189 – Boxer Mantis – Lenz Lim
OuiSi Nature: 10 – Meerkat Pups at Burrow Entrance – Jen Guyton
OuiSi Nature: 202 – Iceland Streams Lattice Sandbar – Daniel Beltra