Harbor Seal, Pacific

(Phoca vitulina largha; in Russian, larga), a mammal of the family Phocidae; the Pacific-Ocean form of the harbor, or common, seal (Phoca vitulina). Some zoologists consider the Pacific harbor seal a separate species. The adult’s body length measures about 160 cm, and the weight about 65 kg. The females are slightly smaller. The coloration ranges from silvery to dark gray; there are small dark spots on the back. The animal inhabits the coastal waters of Asia and North America—from the Chukchi Sea south to Korea and California. It feeds on fish. In the summer and autumn the seals gather on the shore, and in the winter and spring on the ice, where the young are born. The offspring molts in two to three weeks. The Pacific harbor seal is an object of commerce (the hide, fat, and flesh are used).