Harbor seals have an almost feline appearance: rounded head, flat muzzle, long whiskers, and large dark eyes. They’re comparatively small—only about 250 pounds, with an average length of 5 feet. Like all true seals, they lack external ears, and cannot rotate their hind flippers around to move on land; instead, they inchworm their way across the sand, blubber quivering. Their color can range from nearly all white with a few dark markings to nearly all black with white markings. Photo courtesy Farallones Sanctuary/Jamie Hall.
Published: March, 2009
