Do harp seals eat Atlantic cod?
Yes, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) represent a small part – usually estimated to be 3% or less – of the harp seal’s annual diet. Atlantic cod are not, however, consumed throughout the entire year, but rather in certain places at certain times of the year. Canadian government scientists have recently lowered their estimates of seal predation on cod in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Most of the harp seal’s annual diet is comprised of smaller, fatty fishes, like capelin (Mallotus villosus) and Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and a variety of small shrimp-like organisms including mysids and euphausids.
