2 Types of Seals in Washington

Harbor Seals measure 4.5 to 6 feet long and weigh 150 to 290 pounds. Their bodies are cylindrical and stocky. Coloring varies widely: some are dark gray or brown, others pale or spotted, with a mottled or ringed pattern that helps them blend with rocks. Their head is rounded, with large forward-facing eyes and nostrils arranged in a V-shape on top of the snout. Whiskers are prominent. In the water, they bob vertically with their head and shoulders above the surface. On rocks, they cannot rotate their hind flippers forward, so they move in a caterpillar-like wiggle, using their belly and front flippers. The call is a low bark or growl, audible in breeding season from shore.

Northern Elephant Seals are much larger, reaching 10 to 16 feet and weighing 1,500 to 7,000 pounds. Their color is typically dark gray or brown, lighter on the belly. Males have a large, inflatable proboscis on the snout used in territorial displays and for vocalizing, while females lack this feature entirely. Unlike Harbor Seals, Elephant Seals can rotate their hind flippers forward and thus move more fluidly on land with an S-curve motion. Their eyes are large and located on the side of the head. They are solitary animals and rarely haul out in large groups in Washington. In the water, they dive deep and stay submerged for extended periods, so sightings are brief.

Male Harbor Seals are slightly larger than females, but the size difference is small compared to many seal species. Both sexes haul out on rocks and in groups. Males are more territorial during breeding, typically in spring, and make louder barking calls. In contrast, Northern Elephant Seals show extreme sexual dimorphism: males are up to four times heavier than females and possess the distinctive proboscis. A lone Elephant Seal hauled out in Washington is usually a male, since females migrate to breeding grounds in California and Mexico.

Harbor Seals rest on exposed rocks, rocky reefs, and small islands throughout Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. Popular observation sites include Race Rocks, Cape Flattery, Cape Disappointment, and the San Juan Islands' southern inlets. They favor locations with easy access to deep water for feeding and protection from noise. Abandoned docks and dock pilings in protected bays sometimes host small groups. They return to the same haul-out sites year after year, making the species predictable if you know the geography.

Harbor Seal sightings peak in April, July, and August. April coincides with the end of pupping season in March and the presence of nursing mothers and recently weaned pups. July and August are high-activity months when seals haul out frequently to rest and thermoregulate. Winter months, particularly December through February, see lower counts because seals spend more time in the water hunting and less time resting on shore. Spring and summer trips to Puget Sound or the San Juan Islands offer the highest probability of close viewing.

Only Harbor Seals and Northern Elephant Seals are regular inhabitants of Washington waters. Steller's sea lions are present in much smaller numbers and are technically otariids (fur seals), not phocids (true seals) like Harbor and Elephant Seals. Steller's sea lions have external ear flaps, larger flippers, and a more upright posture on land. Harp Seals and Hooded Seals are arctic species that very rarely drift into Washington during extreme winter conditions, but these are accidental visitors, not residents.

Harbor Seals are carnivorous hunters that feed on bottom-dwelling and schooling fish, including pollock, rockfish, herring, and sand eels. A seal must eat 4 to 5 percent of its body weight daily. Feeding patterns are influenced by tidal currents and prey migration. Seals will spend several hours submerged hunting before returning to haul-outs to rest, digest, and thermoregulate. In Washington, tide tables and fish movement predict when seals are most active on shore.

Hauling out serves multiple purposes: rest and sleep, which seals cannot safely do in the open water, thermoregulation by basking in the sun, social bonding within groups, and reproductive activities during breeding season. Seals are mammals with fur, not blubber alone; resting on warm rocks in sun helps conserve energy. Extended time in cold water also depletes body heat, so hauling out to warm is essential. Observing haul-out behavior reveals colony health and seasonal reproductive cycles.

Harbor Seals are quieter than sea lions but still vocal. In water, they produce clicks, grunts, and whistles used in navigation and social communication. On haul-outs, males bark and growl during breeding season to establish dominance and territory. Pups call to mothers with bleats. Body language also conveys meaning: head turns, flipper movements, and posture shifts signal alarm, aggression, or curiosity. Large groups often show synchronized movement when one seal alerts others to danger, then collectively return to water.

A pup is a newborn seal. Harbor Seal breeding occurs in spring, with most pups born between April and June. Mothers nurse pups for 4 to 6 weeks, often while the mother and pup both remain at the haul-out site. Pups begin eating solid food while still nursing, a strategy that ensures nutritional security. Pups are born already adapted to water and begin diving within days. By late June and July, young seals are more independent and contribute to visible populations on rocks. Visiting in April or May offers glimpses of mother-pup pairs, a behavior unavailable in other seasons.