National Park Service Sandy Hook U.S. Department of the Interior

Plants and Wildlife Series Gateway National Recreation Area

Seals in Sandy Hook Waters

Seals are commonly seen on Sandy Hook’s Skeleton Hill Island in winter

Description and Habitat Seals, along with sea lions and walruses, are Pinnipeds spend most of their lives in the classified in a warm blooded group called water but come on land to give birth, raise “pinnipeds.” Sandy Hook’s seal visitors are their young and to molt. They can sleep in

“true seals” lacking external ear flaps, unlike water but must wake up frequently to surface its relative the sea lion. They are also smaller and breathe. They are gifted swimmers, able and more skittish. Their long, hairless, front to dive up to 1,500 feet for as long as 40 min- flippers are used for propulsion in water utes. Submerged seals use oxygen stored in while the hind flippers are used for steering. their blood and muscles as well as their lungs. The hind flippers can also be brought for- Large eyes protected by oily “tears” assist the ward and under the body, allowing them to seal in dark waters. In a “haul out” seals land flop along on their bellies. Seals have a thick on protected beaches or spits to bask in the blubber layer which, combined with a fur sun. Haul outs on Sandy Hook can be seen coat, protects them in frigid climates. from December through March.

Status Depending on where it lives, a seal needs to Fortunately in the United States with the guard against killer whales, sharks, polar passing of the Clean Water Act and Marine bears, walruses, coyotes, eagles and of Mammal Protection Act in the early 1970’s, course people. Harbor seals eat many of the the seal population along the northeast coast same species commercially fished, and until has been increasing. The Protection Act 1960 there was a bounty on them. In Canada, made it illegal to hunt, capture, kill, or harass Norway, and the United Kingdom it is still seals or other marine mammals in federal legal to shoot harbor seals when protecting waters. Over the last decade at Sandy Hook, fisheries or fish farms. Seals can also get en- seal counts have shown a dramatic rise tangled and drown in commercial fishing presenting a hopeful sign that their popula- nets. tion is stable.

What can you do? Since beachcombers, surfers and kite board- for food. When spotting seals by boat or on ers recreate at Sandy Hook even in the win- land, the legal distance between human and ter, seals and humans must learn to co-exist seal is a 100 feet. If seals are in a group on a with each other. People should watch from spit, they are probably just enjoying the sun. a distance. Seals are wild carnivores with Seals are group animals and it is unusual to sharp teeth and they have a flight-or flight find individuals alone unless they are injured response to threats. While birthing does not or otherwise need attention. When encoun- occur at Sandy Hook, human encroachment tering a seal alone on the beach, report the can scare them off and disrupt their search sighting to a park ranger. Harbor seals are the most widely distrib- FAST FACTS Atlantic Harbor Seal uted pinniped. American and Canadian (Phoca vitulina) Size: Average length 5 ft. populations are estimated at 70,000. Male 200-375 lbs; Female 200 lbs They are found in temperate, subarctic, and arctic coasts of the North Atlantic Identifi Dark brown sides with light rings; belly and Pacific Oceans. When hauling out cation: with dark spots; “dog-like” head.

on Sandy Hook, they may be on beaches, Range: Alaska to California. Hudson Bay. sand and mud bars and in winter on bay Greenland to the Carolinas ice floes. Groups of harbor seals tend to

stay within 15 miles of the shoreline but Breeding:North Atlantic & Pacific coasts; Baltic

individuals are sometimes found up to 60 NorthSeas. Males mature 3-7 years. Females 3-6 years miles offshore. Phoca vitulina means “sea dog” or “sea calf” as their blunt rounded Off- A single pup born on land in April head when viewed from the surface re- Spring: weight 8-26 lbs.

sembles a dog. Whiskered snouts and Food: Cod, mackerel, herring; crustaceans; huge soulful eyes also aid in its resem- octopus or squid blance to man’s best friend. Lifespan: 25-30 years An ice-breeding seal whose name comes FAST FACTS Harp Seal from the horseshoe or “harp” shaped Size: Average length 5 ½ ft. Phoca groenelandica) pattern on the seal’s back and sides. The ( Male 300 lb; Female 260 lbs scientific name Phoca groenelandica means “seal of Greenland.” Harp seals Identifi- Black head with pointy nose. Adult resemble harbor seals but are somewhat cation: male has white coat with black “harp larger. Young harp seals are all white, shaped marking; female gray with V - which helps them to blend in with the shape less visible, young are entirely snow. Adults are grey or white with white at birth

black markings on their back and head. Range: Arctic Ocean & White Sea. North The largest stock gathers on the pack ice Atlantic from Greenland to Virginia off the coast of eastern Canada. Native Inuit people in the region hunt seal as Breeding: Arctic Ocean, Greenland & New- they have for thousands of years. The foundland. Sexual maturity at 6-8 years; majority of commercial sealing occurs in dependent on pack ice for mating

an area known as “The Front” in the Gulf Off- Single pup born in late February of St. Lawrence. This controversial Spring: weighing 20 lbs practice is closely monitored by the Juvenile Harp Seal Food: Herring , cod, crabs and invertebrates Canadian government. Lifespan: 35 years

Grey Seal The male grey seal has a long horse-like FAST FACTS

(Halichoerus grypus) or “roman nose” which is the basis for its Size: Average length 6 ½ -8 ft. Latin name, Halichoerus grypus, meaning Male 375-800 lb; Female 220-570 lbs hooked-nose sea pig. Grey seals breed from eastern Canada to the Baltic Sea. Identifi- Males dark gray or brown with light Mating takes place on land, on ice or in cation: spots; female lighter coat with dark spots.

the water. Young seals may wander Range: Baltic Sea. North Atlantic from Labrador widely and as pups they grow fast on to New England and south to Virginia. their mother’s fat rich milk adding up to Breeding:Labrador to New England and in Baltic 3 pounds per day until weaned at around Sea. Males sexually mature 4-6 years three weeks of age. Most grey seals Females 3-5 years prefer to haul out on remote sand bars and in the north waters rocky areas and Off- Single pup born on a beach between July reefs to haul out. Grey seals, however, Spring: and November weighing 35 lbs

are the least common of all three seal Food: Wide variety of fish, crustaceans and species to find in Sandy Hook waters. cephalopods

Lifespan: 20 years

For More Sandy Hook, Gateway National Text: Conrad Wisniewski Information Recreation Area, 58 Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732 EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA

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