There are Harp Seal stuffed animals, facts and information here in the Animals N More Oceanarium.
These baby Harp Seal stuffed animals are made by several companies. The Harp Seal plush at left is from Stuffed Animal House. The next Harp Seal stuffed animal is Russ Luv Pet Harp Seal plush toy, and next to him is a Hansa Harp Seal pup plush toy, then there is a Ganz Webkinz White Seal. Many of these Harp Seal stuffed animals can be found at our sponsor's website: www.jeanniescottage.com.
The Harp Seal or Saddle-backed Seal, Pagophilus groenlandicus, has received a lot of media attention due to the hunting of the white babies by sealers.
Thousands of young are born in March off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Each one weighs about 9 pounds. There is usually one in a litter, and twins are rare. Their eyes are open at birth. Their coat is white and woolly and is replaced in about four weeks with coarse, pale-gray hair when the pups are ready to enter the water.
The coloration is good protection for the babies, since they remain on the snow-covered ice packs until ready to enter the water. Then their coat changes to gray, which gives them more protection while in the water.
Adult bulls measure up to six feet in length and weigh up to 400 pounds. There is presently a harvest quota of these seals set at 186,000 per year. The harp seal migrates with the seasons and in winter follows the floes of the open ice as far south as Newfoundland.
The adult male harp seal is light gray to yellowish with a dark brown or black face and a brown band marking across its back and sides. The female is dull white to straw colored.
Harp seals feed on herring, cod and crustaceans. They can descend to a depth of 800 feet and remain under water for up to 17 minutes. They can swim as fast as 20 mph, but usually swim more slowly. The life span can reach 30 years, though this is rare.
