The Harp Seal (\(Pagophilus~groenlandicus\)) does not inhabit Antarctica; this species is exclusively a resident of the Northern Hemisphere. Harp seals are medium-sized “true seals” known for their strong association with seasonal pack ice, where they gather in massive numbers. They are highly migratory, adapted to the harsh, freezing waters of the Arctic. Their distribution is confined to the cold, polar regions opposite the Southern Ocean.
The True Habitat of the Harp Seal
Harp seals are found across the cold, icy waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, forming three distinct populations. One group breeds off Newfoundland and Labrador (“The Front”), another uses the ice near Jan Mayen Island off East Greenland, and the third gathers in the White Sea, part of the Barents Sea ecosystem off the Russian coast.
The species is highly dependent on seasonal pack ice, which provides a stable platform for birthing and nursing their young. Pups are born in late winter and early spring. Adults follow the retreating ice edge northward in the summer, migrating thousands of kilometers between southern breeding sites and distant feeding grounds in the high Arctic.
Adult harp seals are easily identified by the dark, horseshoe-shaped—or “harp”-shaped—markings that stretch across their backs, contrasting with their light silvery-gray bodies. This distinctive pattern appears when they reach sexual maturity, distinguishing them from spotted juveniles.
Seals of the Southern Ocean
The seals inhabiting the Southern Ocean around Antarctica are entirely different species, having evolved in isolation from their northern counterparts. These four primary species of true seals belong to the family \(Phocidae\):
- Crabeater seals (\(Lobodon~carcinophagus\))
- Weddell seals (\(Leptonychotes~weddellii\))
- Leopard seals (\(Hydrurga~leptonyx\))
- Ross seals (\(Ommatophoca~rossii\))
The Crabeater Seal is the most numerous seal species globally, spending its life within the Antarctic pack-ice zone. Despite its name, it uses its uniquely lobed teeth to strain vast quantities of Antarctic krill from the water, not crabs.
In contrast, the Leopard Seal is a major predator, second only to the Orca in the region’s food chain. It actively hunts penguins, fish, and even other seals.
Weddell Seals are the world’s southernmost breeding mammal, utilizing stable, coastal fast ice to give birth and maintain breathing holes throughout the winter. They are deep divers that primarily consume fish and squid.
The Ross Seal is the least-known of the Antarctic seals. It is characterized by its unusually large eyes and generally solitary existence within the densest, most remote sections of the pack ice.