Animal

Animal` Elizabeth George Harbor Seal Ms. Swanner “//Erg Erg”// what's making that weird sound? Look it's a Pup (baby harbor seal) looking for his mother. Harbor seals are mammals they are in the pinnipede (pin-a-peed) family. These seals use there long whiskers to help smell things because they can't see and hear very well so if a predator was coming like a polar bears they would be able to smell them. On land they have to move in a caterpillar like motion. In water they are really good swimmers they can swim really fast. They have two back flippers they use for swimming. They have two front flippers that have sharp claws to tear up meat. They have big round black eyes but really can't see that well. There heads are round and it is a lot smaller than a humans. .About the size of your fist. The harbor seals scientific name is //Phoca Vitulina// (meaning Harbor seal). They are related to dogs. Harbor seals are not endangered. The marine mammal protection act of 1972 has protected harbor seals in U.S. Waters. Fur traders still try to kill them for their fur but they have to pay a large fine if they're caught. Harbor seals habitat is in rocky areas and/or on ice. Harbor seals live for 25-30 years. There global population is 400,000-500,000 that means there definitely not endangered! They live along the Pacific coast of north America ! They must not worry about it being cold it's pretty warm down there! Harbor seals predators are sharks, killer whales, and polar bears. Boy I wouldn't want to be eaten by those large animals! Harbor seals prey is fish shrimps crabs and squid. Baby harbor seals called pups drink milk. Adult harbor seals metabolize water from food. That's there eating habits. Harbor seals live in groups. Pups can swim immediately after birth. I don't know but I think they slip right in next to there mother! At birth a pup weighs up to 8-10 kg. At birth they are 100-756mm long. The male harbor seal weighs up to 170lbs. Female harbor seals weigh up to 150 lbs. Females stay with parents for two to seven years. Male harbor seals stay with parents for three to seven years. The pups are born February through July. Females give birth on land, ice, or on water near land. At birth pup's can already see and swim. They nurse pup's 5to 6 weeks. They give birth to 1 pup in spring. Harbor seals make a noise that sounds like a pig. They can breath under water for up to 15 minutes. They are also diurnal so they sleep at night and are awake during the day. They can also sleep underwater up to 15 minutes. Males have a shorter lifespan because of fighting during breeding seasons.media type="custom" key="18853092" That is my paper about harbor seals.media type="custom" key="18922018"media type="custom" key="18936836"