Phocidae - seals
 There are 19 species in this family. Most seal species are found in the Arctic and Antarctica, but seals are found along coastlines around the world from the North Pole south to 30 degrees north latitude and from Antarctica north to 50 degrees south latitude. One seal,
the Baikal seal, lives only in Lake Baikal in Russia. The species in this family have torpedo-shaped bodies; short, front flippers with claws; and large hind flippers. Unlike the fur seals and the sea lions, they have no external ears and can not walk on their flippers. They use their front flippers to steer in the water and their rear flippers to propel themselves in the water. They have fur, but in some species their fur is very sparse! They eat
fish, crustaceans, squid, and octopus. Some species also eat plankton. Seals vary in size from the elephant seal that can weigh up to 5,000 pounds to the ringed seal that weighs around 120 pounds. The species in this family are not as social as the fur seals and sea lions and don't live in large groups. One species, the Caribbean Monk Seal, is probably extinct. It was
last sighted in 1952.
 Endangered in N.H.
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 Threatened in N.H.
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 Introduced
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 Endangered in U.S.
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 Threatened in U.S.
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| New Hampshire Species |
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Other North American Species |
| Harbor Seal |
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Bearded Seal
Caribbean Monk Seal
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Hooded Seal
Gray Seal
Northern Elephant Seal
Ribbon Seal
Harp Seal
Ringed Seal
Spotted Seal
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