THE RE-ENTRANTS 



3B 



size as the California sea lion. It breeds on the Pribilof Islands and may reach 

 south to California in winter. It has a dense yellow-brown underfur which 

 California sea lions lack. Its only enemy is the voracious killer whale. 



The huge Steller's sea lion, Eumetopias juhata, reaches a weight of 1,800 

 pounds or more and a length of over 12 feet (bulls). Its voice is a long roar. The 

 distribution is from the Farallon Islands off San Francisco to the Bering Strait. 



SEALS: Family Phocidae 



These seals have no external ears and cannot turn their rear flippers forward 

 for locomotion on land. These are the most aquatic of the Carnivora. Progression 

 on land is very clumsy, hardly being more than a squirming or wriggling, in 

 which the body is dragged ineffectually by the small front flippers. In water, 

 however, they are swift and graceful fish-eaters. Propulsion in the water is by 

 means of the rear flippers which are used in undulating fashion like the fin of 

 a whale or fish. These seals do not usuallv congregate to breed (the elephant 

 seal does). The single pup is born, a little ball of white fur, in some secluded 

 place on shore or on ice in summer. Most are of arctic or cold temperate 

 distribution. 



HARBOR SEAL (hAIR SEAL, LEOPARD SEAL, COMMON SEAl) : PhoCU vitlllma 



Size: Up to 5 feet (for both sexes). 



Distribution: South from the arctic to the Carolinas and Baja California. 



Identification: Color is yellow-gray, spotted with dark, indistinct blotches. 

 Some are dark brown, spotted with yellow. 



Habits: These are the common seals of our temperate coasts. They are friendly 

 and engaging, especially as pups, and, if tamed early enough, could make fine and 

 engaging swimming companions. They can utter a coarse bark. They eat about 

 ten pounds of fish, squid, and crustaceans a day near the bottom. The killer 

 whale, large sharks, polar bears, and man are its chief enemies. They are agile 

 and speedy swimmers. 



Similar Species: Few species of seals go south of the St. Lawrence and Alaska. 

 The gray seal, Halichoerus grypus, is a large seal, the bulls reaching 6 to 9 feet 

 and 800 pounds and the cows reaching 6 feet and 700 pounds. The gray seal 

 resembles the harbor seal in coloration, and it shares the same common names, 

 but it is heavier and less active. It ranges south to Maine and straggles to 

 New Jersey. 



Harbor seal. 



