Harp Seals, Mother and Cub

Harp Seals are sleek, playful swimmers that spend most of their lives in the icy waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic. Known for their agility, they can stay submerged for up to 15 minutes while hunting fish and crustaceans. Named for the harp-shaped pattern on their backs, these social animals come on land once a year to mate and give birth. Despite their charm, Harp Seal populations are rapidly declining and are now threatened or endangered. They are slaughtered in Canada, Greenland, Namibia, Norway, and Russia. In Canada, up to 400,000 seals are shot or bludgeoned annually, with official figures excluding injured or escaped seals. Environmental warming has reduced the sea ice where they breed, causing many pups to drown. Over three dozen countries, including the U.S. and EU members, have banned seal products, yet millions are still killed yearly for their fur, blubber, and meat.