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A spotted harbor seal resting on a mossy rock.
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

A spotted seal of northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts that slows its heartbeat to just a few beats a minute when it dives.

🦭 Seals and Sea Lions
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About the Harbor Seal

Harbor seals live along the coasts of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, and they have the widest range of any seal. Males weigh 120 to 300 pounds and are 5 to 6 feet long; females are a bit smaller. Their fur can be light with dark spots or dark with light spots. They eat fish like herring, cod and salmon, plus squid, octopus, crabs and shrimp, often swallowing food whole.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Phoca vitulina[2]
Size
Males 5 to 6 feet; females 4 to 5 feet.[1]
Weight
Males 120 to 300 pounds; females 100 to 190 pounds.[1]
Lifespan
25 to 30 years in the wild.[1]
Diet
Fish, squid, clams, octopus, crayfish, crabs and shrimp.[1]
Habitat
Cool temperate to cold Arctic coastal waters.[1]
Where it lives
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • Harbor seals can slow their hearts to three or four beats a minute.[1]
  • They can stay underwater for up to 30 minutes.[1]
  • Harbor seals have the widest range of any seal.[1]

Vocabulary

pinniped
A fin-footed sea mammal, such as a seal, sea lion or walrus.
blubber
A thick layer of fat that keeps sea mammals warm.
opportunistic feeder
An animal that eats whatever food it can find.
temperate
Having a mild climate, not too hot or too cold.
least concern
A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

  1. [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Harbor seal.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/harbor-seal (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Phoca vitulina (Harbour Seal).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/17013/45229114 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.