Harp Seal

1. Harp Seal By: Susan McEachern

2. Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Chordata Class- Mamalia Order- Carnivora Genus- Pagophilus Species- PagophilusGroenlandicus

3. Habitat: Harp seals live in the Arctic, close to Greenland. Unless the seals are babies they live in the water. It is warmer there than on the ice. The farthest from Greenland harp seals have been sighted is Nova Scotia, Virginia and France. In each case only one seal was seen.

4. Feeding: Harp seals have a varied diet of fish such as capelin, polar and Arctic cod, herring, sculpin, Greenland halibut, redfish, and plaice. They also consume crustaceans such as amphipods, krill, and decapods (shrimps and prawns). Harp seals routinely dive to depths of 100  m while feeding, however one individual was observed diving to a depth of 274 m. Known predators are polar bears, killer whales, and sharks. Walruses also prey on harp seal females and pups in the White Sea.

5. Circulation Because seals are mammals, they have a four chambered heart like humans, consisting of a right atrium and vertrical and a left atrium and ventrical. Deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium, travels to the right ventrical, and is then pumped via the pulmonary artery to the lungs. After gas transfer, it travels to the left atrium, ventrical, and then aorta where it is then pumped to the body through arteries. The size of the arteries deminish until they are only one cell thick, cappilaries. At this point, wastes and nutrients are passed to and from the cells . The blood then travels through veins up to the heart.

6. Reproduction Seals reproduce sexually; they usually mate in April and give birth nine to ten months later, depending on the species.They typically give birth during the spring or summer. Some females will give birth in groups and then go and mate with another male, and others will give birth by themselves. Male seals become sexually mature at the age of six to 10 years old and a female becomes sexually mature at five to six years of age

7. Respiration A seal's respiratory system is adapted for water. A seal can go for 40 minutes without a breath. This allows them to dive to a depth of over 2,000 feet. They keep the sam stead breathing rate all the time. Wether resting or active.

8. Characteristics • Adult Harbor Seals can grow from about four and a half to six and a half feet long . • •Harbor seals can live a maximum of twenty-five to thirty years. Males have a shorter lifespan, which may be due to the stress of fighting during breeding seasons. • •Harbor Seals are sometimes preyed upon by killer whales, sharks, polar bears, Steller sea lions, walruses, coyotes, and eagles.

9. Predators Harp seals have a number of natural enemies which consist of orcas, polar bears, and sharks. Eskimos too hunt seals for food. But the most threatening enemy of all are sealers.

10. Nutrition Harp seals will eat a wide variety of fish, such as arctic cod, capelin, polar cod, and herring. Harp seals diet varies though as they get older,during different times of year, and their location. Adults also will eat squid.

11. Adaptation • The Pups have white fur to camouflage with the ice and hide from predators. • - They have a thick layer of blubber to protect themselves against the cold climate. • - Their nostrils close while underwater to aid in their swimming.

12. Facts - The name “harp seal” comes from harp-shaped ring on the seal's back. the large - If a pup eats it’s teeth will grow, but if it doesn’t it’s teeth wont come in as quickly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMhayx6FRHc&feature=related