Pacific Harbor Seal

In California, harbor seal pups are born between February and April and weigh about 20 to 24 pounds at birth. If born prematurely, harbor seals retain a whitish fluffy lanugo coat, which is usually shed in utero before birth.

A newborn pup can swim at birth, but will sometimes ride on its mother's back when tired. After about four weeks, the pups are weaned from their mother’s milk.

While harbor seals swim safely in the surf, they will often curiously watch humans walking on beaches. However, they are wary of people while on land and will rush into the water if approached too closely or disturbed. In fact, if disturbed too often, they have been known to abandon favorite haul-out sites or even their own pups.