9 Amazing Fun Facts About Harbor Seals: Discover Their Secrets!

1. Inchworm Seal Shuffle

Harbor seals may have missed leg day in the animal kingdom gym, but they've mastered the art of the inchworm move: Their unique caterpillar-like motion on land is due to their fused pelvic bones, allowing them to undulate instead of walking on hind flippers like sea lions.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

2. Zen Masters of the Sea

Move over, yogis, harbor seals are the true masters of Zen: these underwater gurus can slow their heart rate from 75-120 beats per minute to a zen-tastic 4-6 beats while diving, collapsing their lungs and chilling their bodies to handle the pressures of the deep blue sea, all so they can stay submerged for over 20 minutes and win any underwater staring contest.
Source => adfg.alaska.gov

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=> Fun Facts about Sharks

3. Family Ties: Seal Edition

While Hollywood may be notorious for 72-hour marriages and rebound romances, harbor seals are playing a different game, showing us the true meaning of "Family Ties" – both on land and sea: Harbor seal parents form strong bonds with their pups immediately after birth, nursing them on land and in water, and providing support and protection until they're ready to face the big, watery world on their own.
Source => sealsitters.org

4. Aquatic Masters of Snooze

Harbor seals, the aquatic masters of snooze, have got this whole "sleeping with the fishes" thing down to a T – but without any unwanted mobster connotations: These ingenious creatures can blissfully nap underwater for up to 30 minutes, all thanks to their capacity to stockpile oxygen, slow down their heartbeat, and conserve energy, while occasionally surfacing for a breath of fresh air – and when on land, you'll find them being adorably vigilant, swiveling their heads to keep an eye out for any uninvited shenanigans.
Source => seaworld.org

5. Seal-Style Deep-Sea Divers

Who needs scuba gear when you have seal-style blood? Harbor seals are basically the deep-sea divers of the animal kingdom: They can dive up to 1500 feet underwater, thanks to their higher blood volume that stores more oxygen, and their heart rate slows down from 75-120 beats per minute to a mere 4-6 beats per minute, making them true oxygen-conserving champs!
Source => oceantoday.noaa.gov

6. Luxurious Seal R&R

Sunbathing is so passé, darling: Harbor seals prefer to lounge on land for some luxurious R&R, partaking in activities such as birthing their pups and shedding their coats instead of mere tanning.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

7. Marshmallow Blubber Buddies

Whoever said "size doesn't matter" clearly wasn't talking about harbor seals: As they age and their biological clocks thicken, the blubber of these irresistible sea sausages swells up like a marshmallow in a microwave, with older females being the fattest of the lot. Just like humans, adolescent and mature seals pack on the pounds the most during winter, whereas during mating or molting seasons they slim down to show off their impressive "summer bodies."
Source => jstor.org

8. Caterpillar Dance Moves

Who needs legs when you can dance like a caterpillar?: Harbor seals have fused pelvic bones, meaning they can't walk on land like sea lions, but instead, they shimmy and shake in an undulating caterpillar-esque motion to traverse short distances on land.
Source => fisheries.noaa.gov

9. Clumsy Superheroes of the Sea

Harbor seals might be the aquatic version of a clumsy superhero: clumsy and awkward on land, but sleek and agile in their underwater domain. Their secret superpower? An astounding ability to dive and hold their breath: these blubbery champs can plunge to depths of up to 1640 feet and stay submerged for over 20 minutes, thanks to blood volume, heart rate, and oxygen-storing muscle adaptations. They effortlessly steer with their fore flippers and use their webbed hind flippers for propulsion, making them masters of the deep.
Source => adfg.alaska.gov