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July 31, 2021  |  By Matt Hamas

Harbor Seals

Harbor Seals Salisbury Beach State Park Live

HARBOR SEAL - IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN

The harbor seals pile up on these rocks

You wouldn’t know by looking, but this was taken in the middle of winter. This was a January kayak adventure off Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts. The Atlantic Ocean waters are around 40 degrees this time of year. Yet, you would never guess that by looking at this photo. These relaxed fur balls seem as comfortable as can be. They can barely open their eyes, they are so relaxed. 

DONATE

The rocks the harbor seals are sitting atop are only exposed during low tide. They pile up on these rocks for a few reasons. Safety in numbers is one of them. With all the seals together, they can keep an eye out 360 degrees for possible threats. As I approached the rocky area the seals were gathered on, I was met by a few seals in the water. They shadowed my kayak at a distance, trying not to be seen. They would pop their head up out of the water, and if you looked at them, they would immediately make a big splash and dive down into the water. If these “security” seals thought I posed a threat, they would communicate back to the group. Then you would see all the seals move together and swim away. So, you don’t want to just paddle right up to them. Rather, get up current or upwind and slowly drift in to the area. In this case, there was current and there was wind. I was able to slowly drift into their area without spooking them, get this photo, and continue drifting by.

Harbor seals have a wide range. They can be found on the east and west coasts of the United States, as well as Canada, Greenland, and Europe. Harbor seals can grow to about six feet long and weigh more than 350 pounds! That’s a lot of blubber. The harbor seals use their blubber to stay warm in these cold waters. Females will birth one pup after a nine-month gestation. These pups weigh about 35 pounds at birth. Just hours after being born, the pups already know how to swim and dive.

Long-tailed Duck

Harbor seals can grow to weigh more than 350 pounds!

Did You Know?

There are 350,000-500,000 harbor seals worldwide.

Female harbor seals live ~10 years longer than male harbor seals. Females live 30-35 years and males live 20-25 years.

The southernmost area for pupping along the Atlantic Coast is Massachusetts.

THIS MONTH'S GALLERY
kayaking massachusetts ocean seal

Article by Matt Hamas

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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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