Have you wondered why this smooth-sleek swimmer harp seal loves to eat small animals? Well, one aspect is they are easier to prey on. Harp seals are not so picky but are quite consistent when it comes to choosing what to eat.
Moreover, you’ll be amazed to know that the pups and the adult harp seals’ selection of food varies. As the younger one is unable to eat, it survives only with its mother’s milk. And the elder one survives by eating shrimp, prawns, crustaceans, etc.
Now, let’s just break down the food habits of harp seals for you to understand better.
What Do Pups Harp Seals Eat?
I am starting with the pups’ harp seal whose eating habits are completely different from the adult ones! During the first few weeks, pup harp seals are not able to eat any kind of solid food.
For the first 12 days, they depend on the high-fat milk of their mother which is nutritious. And through eating this high-protein milk, they are able to have rapid growth. Plus, for the baby seal, it’s easy to digest and remains protected from various diseases.
Due to this nutritious food eating, even in the ruthless Arctic environment, they’re able to survive. But for their own good, after 12 days, the mother seal leaves the pups on ice so that they can learn to hunt food for themselves.
However, when they’re left for hunting, they look for smaller fish like krill or crustaceans. In that way, they experience a transition to solid food from their liquid food habit.
If you are interested in more specific details on harp seal overview and diet, kindly check out the article in my blog.
What Are the Food Habits of Adult Harp Seals?
Well, harp seals consume food according to age, size, and activity. And adult harp seals consume 10–20 pounds of calories daily.
Now, coming to the main question of what this harp seal in general eats. For a better understanding of yours, we can classify their food habits into two segments. As they are carnivorous, they eat fish and invertebrate animals.
Fish
Beginning with the fish, harp seals mostly eat capelin, arctic cod, polar cod, herring fish, etc. Capelins are small and their availability during the spring and summer season makes them one of the desirable foods for seals.
Moreover, arctic and polar cod are known for their tremendous ability to fulfill power and nutrition for the seal. That assures energy during the act of preying.
Another one is herring, which is, though not consumed as much as the others mentioned above. But still fulfills their demand for nutrition when there is a scarcity of the other two. Plus, as their sizes are big, it ensures an energy boost.
Other than these three, they have other options of fish like sculpin, redfish, plaice, etc. These are more or less eaten by them. Though it varies on the availability of those fishes, which I will discuss later, it can be assured that these are also full of nutrition and energy.
Invertebrate animals
Secondly, they like to have invertebrate animals too, such as krill, crabs, amphipods, squid, shrimp, worms, etc. All of these are small animals in size which ensure their nutrition. Plus, they are very convenient to catch.
However, squids are eaten by them a little less mostly in the summer and autumn.
One fun fact about them is that the harp seal helps maintain a balanced fish population by eating sick or weaker fish. This helps stronger fish to reproduce.
How Do Harp Seals Hunt Their Food?
You will be amazed to hear that harp seals have exceptional hunting skills. Age, the type of animal preyed upon, and geographical location, all influence their hunting tactics. Below is a breakdown of the ways they hunt:
Starting with their physical abilities, such as their eyesight. Both in the upper and lower portion of water, the seals are able to detect any kind of fish or enemies very quickly.
They have round eyes and big irises that pop out fully when they swim submerged. The seal’s iris contracts when it reaches territories. This reduces its pupil to a dot. Thus, its spherical lens allows it to see correctly.
Moreover, they have whiskers, which in the water they can easily understand vibrations. As a result, even in dark dim areas, it helps them to detect any hidden hunt.
Other than their eyesight, they have hearing abilities for which they can pinpoint their hunt easily. And as they are experts in swimming, they can chase the hunt following the sound.
Apart from being physically active in hunting, harp seals can hide themselves using ice floes to catch their targets. For example, seals can produce a vacuum in their jaws to quickly filter large amounts of water and trap multiple tiny species.
How Do Environmental Factors Help Harp Seals Hunt for Food?
For seals, the best places to go hunting are open water, not areas where there is a lot of ice. In order to access their food, seals can either use existing holes or break through thinner ice.
Moreover, seals will require diving skills to reel in fish that prefer deeper waters, such as cod. It is easier to catch some fish, such as capelin, because they remain near the water’s surface.
As they can dive up to about 1,300 feet deep, it becomes easier for them to hunt at the depth of the water. Plus, they can stay for 16 minutes underwater, which gives them more opportunity to find prey to eat.
Most importantly, you will be stunned to know that while seals are waiting for prey to approach, seals can conserve energy by gliding with the currents.
Seasonal Availability of Food for Harp Seal
The diet of harp seals varies throughout the year due to their ability to consume whatever is in season. Their primary food sources and the ways in which their supply varies with the seasons are detailed below:
| Seasons | Foods they eat |
|---|---|
| Spring | Capelin, herring, sand lance, krill, amphipods, etc. |
| Summer | Shrimp, crabs, cod, etc. |
| Fall | Squid and larger fish |
| Winter | Scraps |
Spring
Beginning with the spring season where many harp seals can be seen, their favorite food, capelin, spawns are available in large groups near the shore. Where it is both easily accessible and provides a lot of energy.
Not to mention they may also eat smaller fish, such as herring and sand lance, as well as krill and amphipods. But this depends on their location and personal preference.
Summer
Coming to the summer season when capelin stops migrating for mating, they become less accessible because they go to deeper water. At that time, seals shift their focus to bottom-dwelling crustaceans, such as shrimp and crabs, or to different types of fish, such as sculpin, cod, or polar cod.
Fall
In the fall season when food is scarce, seals have to prepare themselves in a way to get food. Squid and larger fish, which seals may have shied away from in the past due to their size or difficulty in catching them, are now staples in the diets of many seals due to the scarcity of other food sources.
Winter
Lastly, during winter, harp seals face the greatest challenge in obtaining food due to less availability of it. In their limited diet, seals prey on bottom-dwelling fish such as cod and arctic cod.
Frequently Asked Questions
Alright, let me answer a few more extra questions that may pop up in your mind while reading the article.
01. Are harp seals plant eaters?
No. The harp seal diet includes meat, not plants or other animals. Spearfish and crabs are among their favorite foods, along with capelin, herring, cod, arctic cod, and halibut.
02. How much do harp seals eat on a daily basis?
Daily, they consume approximately 4%-6% of their body weight. So, a seal weighing 500 kg would consume 30 kg (or 66 lbs.) of seafood a day.
03. How many hours can a seal survive without eating?
Well, you cannot specifically mention it as it depends on the season too. But even though seals typically feed every three to four hours, they can endure days without food. Additionally, their thick coat of blubber serves as an energy storage tank, allowing them to go for extended periods of time without food.
04. Do harp seals chew their food?
No. The harp seals do not chew their food. They swallow it completely or consume it piece by piece. However, to crack crabs and shells, they utilize their back teeth.
Conclusion
With this, we’re at the end of the discussion! But one thing about harp seals is that they conserve energy too during the winter. By resting, they save energy as in the winter there is a scarcity of food.
Depending on the season and food availability their consuming food varies too. Plus, harp seals’ physical ability and their ability to prey makes them both excellent hunters and keep themselves safe. However, I have included everything about harp seals’ food habits, hope you’ve enjoyed it.
References
- https://oceana.org/marine-life/harp-seal/
- https://sciencing.com/foods-do-harp-seals-eat-6747374.html
- https://animalia.bio/harp-seal
- https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/seal-harp/food-and-feeding
- https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/harp-seal
- https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/harp-seal
- https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/outreach-and-education/fun-facts-about-surprising-seals