Harbor Seal
Harbor SealHarbor SealHarbor SealHarbor Seal

Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Great Bear Rainforest
515 Verified records at Great Bear Rainforest
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The harbor (or harbour) seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared seals, and true seals), they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Baltic and North seas. Harbour seals are brown, silvery white, tan, or grey, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. An adult can attain a length of 1.85 m (6.1 ft) and weigh up to 168 kg (370 lb). Blubber under the seal's skin helps to maintain body temperature. Females outlive males (30–35 years versus 20–25 years). Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Harbor Seal sighting in Great Bear Rainforest, based on 515 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Bear Rainforest

Northern Elephant Seal
LC

Northern Elephant Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mirounga angustirostris

<5% · Rare
American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely
Sea Otter
EN

Sea Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Enhydra lutris

20–30% · Possible
Northern Sea Lion
NT

Northern Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eumetopias jubatus

20–30% · Possible
Brown Bear
LC Endemic

Brown Bear

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Ursus arctos

20–30% · Possible
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

10–20% · With luck
Common Raccoon
LC Endemic

Common Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon lotor

10–20% · With luck
Gray Wolf
LC Endemic

Gray Wolf

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis lupus

10–20% · With luck
Red Fox
LC Endemic

Red Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes vulpes

5–10% · With luck
Coastal Marten

Coastal Marten

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Martes caurina

5–10% · With luck
California Sea Lion
LC

California Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Zalophus californianus

5–10% · With luck
Canada Lynx
LC

Canada Lynx

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lynx canadensis

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
20–30
Feb
30–40
Mar
30–40
Apr
30–40
May
30–40
Jun
40–50
Jul
40–50
Aug
40–50
Sep
30–40
Oct
20–30
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
80–90%
2 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
60–70%
3 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
4 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
40–50%
5 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
6 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
30–40%
7 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
8 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
30–40%
9 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
10 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
11 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
12 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
13 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
14 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
15 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
16 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Harbor Seal in Great Bear Rainforest?

About 38% of wildlife watchers report a Harbor Seal sighting in Great Bear Rainforest, based on 515 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Harbor Seal in Great Bear Rainforest?

September has the highest sighting rate for Harbor Seal in Great Bear Rainforest in our monthly data.

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