🦭 Harbor Seal

Phoca vitulina

MammalFlippers — no toe prints toesBody drag 12–18 in wide
About

Leaves a hauled-out belly furrow instead of footprints — a track all the same.

Track

Body drag 12–18 in wide. Wide belly-drag trough on sand. Fore-flipper scuff marks on each side. Trail ends at the waterline. Resting hollows above the tide line.

Where they live

Coastal beaches, estuaries, sandbars, rocky haul-outs. Both North American coasts and northern Europe.

When they're active

Tidal — hauls out at low tide

What they eat

Fish, squid, crustaceans

Fun fact

Seal pups on the beach are usually fine — mom is often just offshore.

Should I be concerned?

Never approach a hauled-out seal or a pup. Stay 150 feet back and keep dogs leashed; it's the law in many places.

📸 Identify a Track