How do I know its a harbour seal?
• Harbour seals are found along the coast of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. • Harbour seals are found in coastal waters, estuaries and river systems. • There are several subspecies, such as the Pacific harbour seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi, which inhabits the B.C. coast. • The adult Pacific harbour seal may reach a length of 1.6 – 1.9 m and weigh from 60 – 120 kg. • The colour can range from brownish to black, with a speckled pattern. Where are Pacific harbour seals found? • The Pacific harbour seal is found along the east coast of the Pacific, from Alaska to California. Other subspecies of harbour seals inhabit the North Atlantic and western North Pacific Oceans. Are harbour seal populations endangered? • The harbour seal is the most common of all the temperate-water seals. • Between 1913 and 1970, the combination of a bounty implemented by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and extensive hunting of the harbour seal for its pelt lowered seal populations dramatically. • Pacific harbour s
