Animals - Polar Shores

Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Range:	Found on the coasts of Alaska, southern Greenland, down to the Carolinas on the Atlantic coast, and down to California on the Pacific coast.
Habitat:	Coastal waters, mouths of rivers and some inland lakes by the coast.
Diet:	Mostly fish; herring, cod mackerel, flounder, salmon.
Fun Facts:	Harbor seals spend much of their time basking on beaches and rocky shores in groups up to 500 individuals! They are remarkable swimmers and can dive down to depths of 300 feet and remain submerged up to 28 minutes! Seals propal themselves with their hind flippers while steering with their shorter front ones! The natural predators are polar bears, killer whales, and sharks!