Phoca vitulina vitulina

The Harbour seal. A round, tubby legend known worldwide for its adorable appearance and playful demeanour. Above and below the water, this creature never fails to warm the hearts of visitors to their domain.

Lucky for many of us, Harbour seals can be found just about anywhere along the Pacific Northwest coastline. Chances are, if you are looking out at sea (whether you be walking through a harbour, sitting on a beach, or enjoying a meal at a waterfront restaurant) you will almost always see a Harbour seal or two happily bobbing around in the waves.

This artwork is inspired by an adorable chance encounter I had with a Harbour seal pup just offshore from Clover Point in Victoria B.C. I managed to photograph them moments before they darted off into the safety of the nearby kelp forest:

July 2017: A Harbour seal pup curiously watches as I approach to take their photograph at Clover Point in Victoria, B.C.

📖 Description 📖

Harbour seals belong to a group of animals known as the ‘True seals’ or ‘earless seals’. In the Pacific Northwest, there are only two known species of True seal. These are the Harbour seal and the Northern elephant seal. The Fur seal, despite its name, is more closely related to sea lions.

Among the true seals, this species is quite small. Adults generally reach up to 1.5m in length, and can weigh up to 100kg. By comparison, the Elephant seal can be up to 4m long and weigh over 5 tons! Harbour seals come in many different colours and patterns. Many come in a mottled gray colour, while others may be primarily black with white leopard-print patterns running the length of their bodies (as seen in the photograph below) [1].

Their name, of course comes from their affinity for harbours, where fishers endlessly struggle with the temptation of throwing scraps to the begging seals below the docks. Just about every coastal community in the PNW has, or has had, a harbour with a well known resident seal. Richard the seal from Campbell River, B.C. and Sammy the seal from Victoria, B.C. are the first that come to mind.

March 2017: A melanistic Harbour seal buzzes by me, smirking as I struggle to get my camera into position before it dives back into the blue. Photographed at Saxe Point, Esquimalt, B.C.

🌎 Distribution 🌎

The Harbour seal that we know and love here in the PNW is a sub-species known as Phoca vitulina vitulina, and can be encountered anywhere between Southern California and Northern Japan. There are five subspecies total, and are all collectively found along North Pacific, North Atlantic, and Arctic coastlines [2].

🏝 Habitat 🏝

Considering their lazy habit of hauling themselves up onto rocks to haul-out and bask in the sun, it is no surprise to hear that Harbour seals are very much restricted to habitats found close to shore. What is surprising however, is just how deep Harbour seals can dive. They have been found to dive as deep as 183 meters, which is over 4x as deep as recreational scuba divers can go without specialized training and equipment [2].

As previously mentioned, Harbour seals can very often be found in and around harbours. Among the natural habitats, they can be found in kelp forests, eelgrass beds, and along beaches. Harbour seals do not spend 100% of their time in the ocean however, and frequently “haul-out” onto small islets and rocky shores. Like many Pinnipeds, Harbour seals use haul-outs to rest, warm up in the sunshine, give birth, and nurse their young [1].

Mothers will occasionally leave their pup on shore while they are out hunting for food, so if you see what appears to be an ‘abandoned’ seal pup, it is more than likely their mother will be back soon!

Depth of suitable habitat for the Harbour seal, *Phoca vitulina vitulina.* Suitable habitat depicted in red. Not to scale.

🐟 Diet 🐟

Harbour seals have a diet that consists primarily of fish. The type of fish that makes up the majority of their diet will depend greatly on the time of year and the region they live in. In British Columbia, our seals fill their bellies with a variety of fishes including herring, salmon, anchovies, hake, and more. They will also opportunistically feed on squid and octopuses when given the chance. During salmon runs, it is not uncommon to witness Harbour seals swim up rivers in attempt to catch themselves full-size adult salmon [2].

⚓ Life Cycle ⚓

Harbour seals will give birth to pups in the springtime. Mothers will only ever give birth to one pup per year, which they will care for and nurse for up to one month. Harbour seals can live for up to 30 years or more, with females living slightly longer than males.