This species of earless seal, scientifically known as Pagophilus groenlandicus, inhabits the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, undertaking long-distance migrations across its range. Harp seals are currently one of the most abundant marine mammals in their environment. The official assessment by international organizations confirms that this species is not in danger of extinction at this time.
The Official Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies the harp seal as a species of “Least Concern.” This designation is applied to species that are widespread and numerous. A species achieves this status when it does not meet the criteria for “Near Threatened,” “Vulnerable,” or any of the more severe categories like “Endangered.”
The criteria for a threatened status require evidence of rapid population decline, a severely restricted geographic range, or extremely small population size. Harp seals do not meet any of these thresholds because their total numbers are robust and their distribution spans millions of square kilometers of ocean. This favorable status is why certain countries permit a regulated harvest, as the population is considered healthy enough to sustain controlled removals without jeopardizing its long-term viability.
Population Estimates and Geographic Range
The global population of harp seals is estimated to be in the millions, providing the primary evidence for their “Least Concern” status. Recent surveys suggest the total number of individuals in the Northwest Atlantic stock alone is around 7.4 million, making it the most abundant pinniped in the North Atlantic. This massive population is distributed across three primary, distinct stocks, each associated with a specific breeding location on the pack ice.
These three populations are the Northwest Atlantic stock, which breeds off Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the East Greenland stock, which pups near Jan Mayen Island, and the Barents Sea/White Sea stock, which breeds off the coast of Russia. Scientists monitor these populations by conducting large-scale aerial surveys during the pupping season to estimate the total number of newborn pups. The sheer size and wide distribution of these three stocks underscore the species’ current ecological security.
Historical Exploitation and Regulatory Hunting
The perception of harp seals being endangered stems directly from a history of intense commercial sealing that began centuries ago. Commercial harvests peaked in the mid-19th century and again in the mid-20th century, which caused the Northwest Atlantic population to plummet from an estimated 9 million to a low of about 1 million animals by the 1970s. This dramatic decline generated widespread international outrage, particularly due to the targeting of newborn pups, known as “whitecoats.”
The controversy led to significant regulatory changes and international pressure, including a 1983 European Union ban on the importation of whitecoat products. Following this, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) prohibited the commercial hunting of whitecoats in 1987, although seals that have shed their white fur remain eligible for harvest. Today, the hunt is strictly managed with annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) quotas set by management bodies like the DFO. While the TAC can be set high, actual harvests have often been significantly lower in recent years due to collapsed international markets for seal products.
Emerging Environmental and Climate Threats
Despite the current healthy population status, the harp seal faces major, systemic threats that could rapidly undermine its long-term viability. The most severe challenge is the rapid decline of stable sea ice, which is necessary for the species’ reproductive cycle. Female harp seals rely exclusively on thick, stable pack ice as a platform to give birth and nurse their pups during late winter and early spring.
Pups are born with a fine white coat that offers poor insulation in water, making them entirely dependent on the ice until they develop blubber and molt their fur. When the ice breaks up prematurely due to warming temperatures, pups are forced into the frigid water before they are ready, leading to high mortality from drowning, hypothermia, or being crushed by shifting ice floes. Studies have shown a direct correlation between years with reduced ice cover and a sharp increase in the stranding rates of young seals along the coast.
Additional modern threats include entanglement in commercial fishing gear, known as bycatch, which accounts for significant mortality. The expansion of commercial shipping and oil and gas exploration in the Arctic also introduces risks of habitat disturbance and exposure to pollution, such as heavy metals and microplastics. The loss of sea ice disrupts the entire Arctic food web, potentially reducing the populations of small fish and crustaceans like capelin and krill that the seals rely on for food. These emerging environmental pressures pose a complex and growing challenge to the species’ future, despite its current abundance.