Phocidae (seals)

Phocidae
There are 19 species in this family. Most seal species are found in the Arctic and Antarctica, but seals are found along coastlines around the world from the North Pole south to 30 degrees north latitude and from Antarctica north to 50 degrees south latitude. One seal, the Baikal seal, lives only in Lake Baikal in Russia. The species in this family have torpedo-shaped bodies; short, front flippers with claws; and large hind flippers. Unlike the fur seals and the sea lions, they have no external ears and can not walk on their flippers. They use their front flippers to steer in the water and their rear flippers to propel themselves in the water. They have fur, but in some species their fur is very sparse!

Harbor Seal

Phocidae General Resources
Cystophora (hooded seal)
Erignathus (bearded seal)
Halichoerus (gray seal)
Histriophoca (ribbon seal)
Hydrurga (leopard seal)
Leptonychotes (Weddell seal)

Lobodon (crabeater seal)
Mirounga (elephant seals)
Monachus (monk seals)
Ommatophoca (Ross seal)
Pagophilus (harp seal)
Phoca (harbor seals)
Pusa (ringed, Baikal, and Caspian seals)

Phocidae General Resources

Sea Lions
So what is a sea lion and how are they different from seals? Find out here!
Source: San Diego Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Cystophora (hooded seal)

Hooded Seal
The hooded seal is also called the bladder-nosed seal.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Hooded Seal
Hooded seals gather in large numbers on ice floes to breed.
Source: Sea World Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Hooded Seal
Hooded seals are found throughout the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean near Labrador and northeastern Newfoundland, south to New England.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Hooded Seal
Female hooded seals leave their pups when they are four day old.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Erignathus (bearded seal)

Bearded Seal
Bearded seals have a gray or brown coat.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Bearded Seal
Bearded seals will ram their heads through thin ice to produce breathing holes!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Bearded Seal
Bearded seals are the largest species of arctic seal.
Source: NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Bearded Seal
Bearded seals get their name from their prominent whiskers.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Bearded Seal
Bearded seals are found in the waters around Alaska, the Arctic Ocean and in areas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Halichoerus (gray seal)

Gray Seal
The gray seal is found in temperate and subarctic waters on both sides of the North Atlantic ocean.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Gray Seal
Gray seals can dive over 200 feet underwater.
Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Gray Seal
Male gray seals can grow to almost ten feet long.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Gray Seal
The female gray seal's milk contains 10 to 15 times as much fat as in human milk.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Histriophoca (ribbon seal)

Ribbon Seal
Ribbon seals have a dark body and light bands encircling the neck, each front flipper, and hips.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Ribbon Seal
Ribbon seals are rarely seen on land.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Ribbon Seal
Ribbon seals are found in coastal areas of the north Pacific Ocean and in the seas bordering Alaska and Russia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Hydrurga (leopard seal)

Leopard Seal
Leopard seals are fierce predators.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Leopard Seal
Leopard seals have a huge mouth!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Leopard Seal
Leopard seals can be up to 11.8 feet long.
Source: SeaWorld Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Leopard Seal
Leopard seals get their name from their spotted coat.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Leptonychotes (Weddell seal)

Weddell Seal
Weddell seals sometimes will blow air into cracks in the ice to scare out small fishes to eat!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Weddell Seal
Weddell seals can hold their breath for 20 minutes or more.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Weddell Seal
Weddell seals often dive to depths of 984 to 1312 feet.
Source: SeaWorld Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Weddell Seal
Weddell seals have a dark gray coat that is marked with black and lighter gray areas
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Weddell Seal
Weddell seals are found throughout the Antarctic continent.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Weddell Seal
Weddell seals are named for the British Antarctic explorer James Weddell.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Lobodon (crabeater seal)

Crabeater Seal
The crabeater seal is primarily found on the coast and pack ice of Antarctica.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Crabeater Seal
A large part of the crabeater seal's diet is made up of krill.
Source: SeaWorld Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Mirounga (elephant seals)

Northern Elephant Seal
Male northern elephant seals are larger and heavier than females.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Northern Elephant Seal
Male Northern elephant seal have a big floppy nose.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Northern Elephant Seal
Northern elephant seals are found in the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Alaska down to Baja California.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Northern Elephant Seal
Northern elephant seal males are much larger than females.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Northern Elephant Seal
northern elephant seals migrate long distances each year.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Southern Elephant Seal
The male southern elephant seal is the biggest seal in its family.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Southern Elephant Seal
The southern elephant seal is found along the coast of Antarctica and on sub-Antarctic islands.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Monachus (monk seals)

Hawaiian Monk Seal
Hawaiian monk seals are the only true seals to be found year-round in tropical waters.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Hawaiian Monk Seal
Hawaiians call the seal `Ilio holo I ka uaua, which means, "dog that runs in rough water."
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Hawaiian Monk Seal
Hawaiian monk seals are found on small, uninhabited northwestern Hawaiian islands.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Mediterranean Monk Seal
The Mediterranean monk seal is one of the most endangered mammals in the world.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Mediterranean Monk Seal
Mediterranean Monk Seal is found around the Mediterranean Sea region and the Northwest African Coast.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

West Indian Monk Seal
West Indian or Caribbean monk seals were found in the tropical waters of the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, and around the Yucatan Peninsula.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Ommatophoca (Ross seal)

Ross Seal
Ross seals have the shortest hair of any seal
Source: SeaWorld Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Pagophilus (harp seal)

Harp Seal
Harp seals are found in the Arctic and northern Atlantic Oceans.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harp Seal
For many years, newborn harp seal pups were killed in large numbers for their white coats.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Harp Seal
Harp seals eat crustaceans and fish.
Source: SeaWorld Animal Bytes Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Harp Seal
The Harp Seal has short, thick white fur with black patches and a black face.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Phoca (harbor seals)

Harbor Seal
The harbor seal will "haul-out" of the water and rest on rocks in what is called the banana position where it raises its head and rear flippers in the air.
Source: NHPTV Wildlife Journal Junior Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Harbor Seal
The harbor seal is found from the subtropics to the Arctic around coasts of the North Atlantic and the North Pacific.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
Harbor seals have gray or brown fur with dark and light spots, and each one looks different from the other.
Source: New England Aquarium Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
You can see harbor seals on the North, East, and West coasts of North America!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
Harbor seals are generally non-migratory.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
Harbor Seals live near coastlines and eat a highly varied seafood diet.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
Harbor seals can dive to depths of 300 feet and stay underwater for 15 to 28 minutes.
Source: Indianapolis Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
Male Harbor seals are about 5-6 feet long and weigh about 120-130 lbs.
Source: Central Park Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
Harbor Seals are also known as common seals.
Source: Brookfield Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Harbor Seal
The harbor seal spends most of its life in the sea, but also enjoys sunbathing on rocks or on the beach.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Spotted Seal
Spotted seals are the only seal species that breeds in China!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Spotted Seal
Spotted seals give birth on pack ice and form "family" groups consisting of a female, a male, and a pup during breeding season.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Spotted Seal
Spotted seals are covered with dark spots of irregular shape.
Source: Alaskan Ocean Observing System Data Management Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Spotted Seal
Spotted Seals breed in isolated pairs rather than large groups.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Spotted Seal
Spotted seals are commonly found along the continental shelves of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Pusa (ringed, Baikal, and Caspian seals)

Baikal Seal
The Baikal seals are only found on Lake Baikal in Siberia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Caspian Seal Project
Learn about the Caspian seal and see what is being done to save it.
Source: Caspian Seal Project Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Caspian Seal
During the spring and summer months, Caspian seals migrate south to live on sand banks or rocky areas.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Caspian Seal
Caspian seals are only found in the world’s largest inland body of saltwater, the Caspian Sea.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Ringed Seal
Ringed seals are rarely found on the open sea, but instead is prefers areas where the ice is firm.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Ringed Seal
Ringed seals are among the smallest of the pinnipeds! They seldom even reach five feet in length!
Source: NOAA Fisheries Science Center Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Ringed Seal
Ringed seals have a small head, short cat-like snout, and a plump body. Their coat is dark with silver rings on their back and sides with a silver belly.
Source: NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Ringed Seal
Ringed seals have dark gray or blackish coats with white or pale gray rings splotched across the back and sides.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Ringed Seal
The ringed seal is the most common seal in the Arctic. It is found along Pacific Japanese coasts, the northern parts of the Baltic Sea, Canada, Alaska, and Siberia
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Seal Pong
Play the classic game Pong with a seal.