SEAL SPECIES OF NEW JERSEY

Harbor seals are the most common seal in our waters, migrating into New Jersey and as far south as North Carolina each winter. Most stranded harbor seals in our area are yearlings or second-year animals. Adult harbor seals can grow up to 5 feet long and weight 200lbs. They are brown in color with mottled spots, and heart-shaped nostrils.

As their name implies, harbor seals often seek out the protection of quiet bays and inlets. Individuals may utilize floating docks and jetties to rest. They may also be found in large colonies of up to 200 seals, taking advantage of prime haul out locations such as sandy shoals and partially submerged rocks that are free from human contact. 

Harp seals are artic seals, giving birth (whelping) on the pack ice from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and further north. In recent years, their numbers have been increasing in New Jersey during the winter. An iconic arctic species, harp seals are born with a coat that is completely snow white (lanugo).  Harp seals shed their lanugo after one month, molting into a spotted coat. 

 At 2-5 years of age, a harp seal's markings will change again, developing a black head and the black harp-shaped pattern from which they get their name. In New Jersey we typically see young harp seals, however adults are becoming more prevalent, and we have also admitted one harp seal pup still in lanugo.

 Ringed seals are the smallest and most abundant of the arctic seal species, getting their name from light ring markings on their back. They are circumpolar, rarely straying beyond ice-covered waters.  Ringed seals are the primary prey of polar bears. Mothers will give birth and nurse their pups in snow-covered lairs for protection. 

Ringed seals are rare in New Jersey, with only two ever having stranded here. Both ringed seals stranded a few weeks apart in 1990. One came ashore deceased, and the other was successfully rehabilitated and flown up to Cape Cod for her return to the wild.