spend their lives in both habitats and give birth to their young either on land or on sea
ice. Also their physiology displays both aquatic and terrestrial features, reflected in
thermoregulation, lactation, breathing and locomotion. On the other hand, seals can
spend extended time under water, also in cold regions, as we will see below. Their
physiology allows them to store large amounts of oxygen, to thermoregulate, to slow
down their heart beats and to control spleen and cardiac functions while a thick layer
of blubber and fur provide protection against the cold and against overheating on
land. Their sensory organs are adapted to both life above and under water.
Earless seals are subdivided into two to four subgroup of seals, depending on the
classification. We will not delve into this issue further. We find a distinction between
Phocinae and Monachinae, also commonly differentiated as northern or southern
phocids. Northern phocids comprise ten subspecies and can only be found in the
northern hemisphere. Southern phocids comprise nine species with their main
habitats in the southern hemisphere, three of which, however, can also be found in
the northern hemisphere.
Eared seals are subdivided into fur seals and sea lions. Sea lions can be found
in both the northern and southern hemisphere. Many fur seals have their habitat
in the southern hemisphere. Apart from a small population off the coast of
California—a prominent motive for tourists in San Francisco—the habitat of the
northern fur seal (Callhorhinus ursinus) can be found in the North Pacific Ocean. We
will get to know this species below. A small number of Guadalupe fur seals
(Arctocephalus townsendi) can also be found in the northern hemisphere while the
genus Arctocephalus—southern fur seal—is a southern hemispheric inhabitant.
Southern fur seals can thus be found in South America, Australia, New Zealand
and the (sub-)Antarctic.
The modern walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is split into two distinct stocks, the
Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) and the Pacific walrus (Odobenus
rosmarus divergens). The habitat of the Atlantic walrus are the ice-covered, shallow
waters of the Arctic in Canada, Greenland, Svalbard (Norway) and in the Laptev
Sea. The Pacific walrus can be found in the Bering Sea and in the Pacific waters
between Chukotka and Alaska.
25
2.2.1 Harp Seal (Pagophilus groendlandicus)
The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) is probably the best-known pinniped
species. Its prominence in particularly western discourse derives from the largescale hunts in eastern Canada it has been subject to for centuries. Particularly in the
second half of the twentieth century, harp seal pups were used as an icon against the
seal hunt: white fluffy fur with large black eyes are indeed the perfect tool to display
innocence (Fig. 2.2). In hunting and management parlance, harp seal pups are also
referred to as ‘whitecoats’.
25 Berta (2008), pp. 861–868.
26
2 Marine Mammals: Some Basics
ice. Also their physiology displays both aquatic and terrestrial features, reflected in
thermoregulation, lactation, breathing and locomotion. On the other hand, seals can
spend extended time under water, also in cold regions, as we will see below. Their
physiology allows them to store large amounts of oxygen, to thermoregulate, to slow
down their heart beats and to control spleen and cardiac functions while a thick layer
of blubber and fur provide protection against the cold and against overheating on
land. Their sensory organs are adapted to both life above and under water.
Earless seals are subdivided into two to four subgroup of seals, depending on the
classification. We will not delve into this issue further. We find a distinction between
Phocinae and Monachinae, also commonly differentiated as northern or southern
phocids. Northern phocids comprise ten subspecies and can only be found in the
northern hemisphere. Southern phocids comprise nine species with their main
habitats in the southern hemisphere, three of which, however, can also be found in
the northern hemisphere.
Eared seals are subdivided into fur seals and sea lions. Sea lions can be found
in both the northern and southern hemisphere. Many fur seals have their habitat
in the southern hemisphere. Apart from a small population off the coast of
California—a prominent motive for tourists in San Francisco—the habitat of the
northern fur seal (Callhorhinus ursinus) can be found in the North Pacific Ocean. We
will get to know this species below. A small number of Guadalupe fur seals
(Arctocephalus townsendi) can also be found in the northern hemisphere while the
genus Arctocephalus—southern fur seal—is a southern hemispheric inhabitant.
Southern fur seals can thus be found in South America, Australia, New Zealand
and the (sub-)Antarctic.
The modern walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is split into two distinct stocks, the
Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) and the Pacific walrus (Odobenus
rosmarus divergens). The habitat of the Atlantic walrus are the ice-covered, shallow
waters of the Arctic in Canada, Greenland, Svalbard (Norway) and in the Laptev
Sea. The Pacific walrus can be found in the Bering Sea and in the Pacific waters
between Chukotka and Alaska.
25
2.2.1 Harp Seal (Pagophilus groendlandicus)
The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) is probably the best-known pinniped
species. Its prominence in particularly western discourse derives from the largescale hunts in eastern Canada it has been subject to for centuries. Particularly in the
second half of the twentieth century, harp seal pups were used as an icon against the
seal hunt: white fluffy fur with large black eyes are indeed the perfect tool to display
innocence (Fig. 2.2). In hunting and management parlance, harp seal pups are also
referred to as ‘whitecoats’.
25 Berta (2008), pp. 861–868.
26
2 Marine Mammals: Some Basics