Harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus) are large marine mammals that inhabit the chilly waters of the northern Atlantic and Arctic. These animals are known worldwide for their adorable, fluffy white pups. For nearly two centuries now, hunters have convened at St. Lawrence Bay in Canada each spring, the main breeding location for these seals, in order to acquire the white pelts and seal meat.
While current numbers of seals do not qualify them for classification as a threatened species, declines in harp seal populations are expected if the number of individuals killed during each annual seal hunt does not decrease. At current rates of hunting, harp seals will be unable to sustain their population in a few years, and the species could possibly be obsolete in the near future.
A mother and her pup. Harp seals can determine their offspring from thousands of other pups based on their distinct scent.
http://liberationbc.org/issues/seal_hunt
While current numbers of seals do not qualify them for classification as a threatened species, declines in harp seal populations are expected if the number of individuals killed during each annual seal hunt does not decrease. At current rates of hunting, harp seals will be unable to sustain their population in a few years, and the species could possibly be obsolete in the near future.
A classic photo of a young harp seal pup with white fur. These pups are targeted when they are sometimes only weeks old.
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Resources
"Harp Seal." NOAA Fisheries. Office of Protected Resources, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2013. <http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/pinnipeds/harpseal.htm>.
"The Arctic and Antarctic - MarineBio.org". MarineBio Conservation Society, 14 Jan. 2013. Web. Monday, March 04, 2013. <http://marinebio.org/oceans/arctic-antarctic.asp>.
