Harp Seal
Pagophilus groenlandicus

f16 @ 1/1000s, ISO:1250, Nikon D80 w 80-200mm @ 185mm


"Harp Seal," Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The harp seal or saddleback seal is a species of earless seal native to the northernmost Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Arctic Ocean. It now belongs to the monotypic genus Pagophilus. Its scientific name, Pagophilus groenlandicus, means "ice-lover from Greenland", and its synonym, Phoca groenlandica means "Greenland seal". Originally in the genus Phoca with a number of other species, it has since been reclassified into its own genus Pagophilus.The harp seal has a silvery-gray body. Its eyes are pure black. It has black harp or wishbone-shaped markings on the back. The baby harp seal (pup) has a yellow-white coat at birth, but after three days, the coat turns white and stays white for about 12 days. Adult harp seals grow up to be 1.7 to 2.0 m (5 to 6 feet) long and weigh from 140 to 190 kg (300 to 400 pounds).
South Cape Beach, Mashpee, Massachusetts
 
03/07/2009