Harbour seal

The harbour seal is a plump, friendly-looking sea mammal that lives along cool coasts all around the top half of the world. It has a rounded head, big dark eyes, and little V-shaped nostrils. Its coat can be grey, brown, or silvery, and it is dotted with spots, so every seal wears its own special pattern.

Harbour seals are wonderful swimmers. Under the water they are quick and graceful, using their flippers to steer as they chase after fish. On land they are much slower, so they like to rest on rocks, sandbanks, and quiet beaches. Resting out of the water like this is called hauling out, and a favourite spot may be used by many seals at once.

These seals are hunters of the sea, and their favourite meal is fish such as herring, cod, and mackerel. They also snack on squid and crabs. A harbour seal can dive deep and stay under the water for a long time while it searches for something tasty to eat.

Baby harbour seals, called pups, are especially amazing. A pup is born on the shore, and within just a few hours it can already swim and dive beside its mother. Its mother's milk is so rich and creamy that the pup grows round and chubby very quickly, and in only four to six weeks it is ready to catch food on its own.

There are lots of harbour seals in the world, so they are listed as Least Concern, which is good news. Even so, they can be harmed by pollution, sickness, or being disturbed while they rest with their pups. Many countries now protect harbour seals and ask people to watch them quietly from far away, so these spotted swimmers and their babies can rest in peace.