Is a harp seal a vertebrate or invertebrate?
| Harp seal | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
What are baby harp seals called?
Newborn harp seals have soft, white fur and are called whitecoats. Young seals of any species are also referred to as pups. Harp seals are pinnipeds, of which there are 33 species in the world, 18 of which belong to the Phocidae family (true seals).
Why do seal pups have white fur?
Harp seal pups are born with long white fur that helps them absorb sunlight and stay warm while they’re still developing blubber. Pups shed their white fur after about three to four weeks old. 4. Harp seals are highly migratory and can travel more than 3,100 miles (4,989 km) roundtrip to feed.
Do seals have knees?
The main limb bones are concealed inside the body, so that they have no visible elbows or knees; all that you can see are the ankles/wrists and the feet.
Do harp seals eat squid?
Many adult harp seals maintain a diet of polar and arctic cod, capelin and herring fish. They also eat sculpin, Greenland halibut, redfish, plaice and predators of cod fish, such as squid.
What kind of fur does a harp seal have?
Adult harp seals have light gray fur with a black mask on their face and a curved black patch on their back. This black patch looks like a harp and is the source of the species’ common name. Some animals have dark spots randomly scattered over their entire body.
How long does a harp seal stay underwater?
Annual migrations can be more than 3,100 miles roundtrip. Harp seals can dive up to 1,300 feet below the surface and remain underwater for about 16 minutes. They eat many (more than 130 species) different types of fish and invertebrates. Some seals have been found with more than 65 species of fish and 70 species of invertebrates in their stomachs.
Where do harp seals live in the world?
The harp seal is a true seal that lives in the north Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, spending long periods of time associated with sea ice.
How old do harp seals have to be to mate?
As mother Harp Seals wean their young, mature males (6 – 7 years old) roam around breeding with the females promiscuously. Courtship begins on the ice, however the actual mating takes place in the water. Harp Seals have delayed implantation, meaning the fertilized egg becomes an embryo, but does not implant in the uterus right away.