Observations on a Colony of Whelping Harbour Seals, Phoca vitulina concolor, on Sable Island, Nova Scotia

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Boulva, Jean
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1971
• Subjects: General Medicine; Phoca vitulina
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f71-104; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f71-104

Three censuses indicated that approximately 1220 harbour seals were at Sable Island at the beginning of whelping in 1970. About 270 pups were born, representing 18% of the total seal population after whelping. Maximum whelping occurred during the last week of May. Males represented 52% of the 118 pups examined. At least 12% of the pups died in the 1st month of life. Pups born with lanugo represented 16% of all pups born. Males and females averaged 80 cm long and 11 kg in weight at birth; 3 weeks later, the males averaged 91 cm and 24 kg and the females 86 cm and 20 kg.