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Harbor Seal- birth of pup
Phoca vitulina
44.5102, -68.2951
Field Notes
Description:
Adults up to 5 feet, males and females same size, wide short muzzle nostrils forming a V (gray seals have longer snouts and nostrils form a W). Pelage (fur) patterns vary vastly from very dark with white spots, white with dark spots or plain white bellies. Between May and beginning of August, on the east coast of USA, seals molt their fur getting very dull and brownish. Pups are born in early May through early June and are weaned in 28 days or less. They can swim from birth.
Habitat:
Coastal waters and rivers. Will climb out (haul out) on rocks at low tide or even high tide, if the rocks stay above the tide, to rest and pup, often gathering in large groups. They feed at river mouths and along shore line catching fish as they come out on the ebbing tide, but also can be seen 20-30 miles offshore feeding. They usually feed alone but can be found feeding in larger groups herding schools of fish.
Notes:
Harbor seals in Maine give birth to their pups during the first few weeks of May. The pups can swim within minutes of birth... they stay with their mothers for a maximum of 28 days and then are on their own!!
Follow this link to a scroll down story of the birth of the pup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeimaya/4608278383/
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