Common Seal
CR

Common Seal

Phoca vitulina

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbor_seal

Overview

The harbor seal, also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped, they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Baltic and North seas.

Common Seals face severe threats from habitat degradation, pollution, and human disturbance across their coastal range. Climate change is altering prey availability and ice dynamics in northern populations, while marine pollution including plastics and chemical contaminants continues to impact reproduction and survival rates. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority.

Threat summary

Habitat

Coastal waters, estuaries, and nearshore marine environments including rocky shores, sandy beaches, and mudflats used for hauling out and pupping. Also utilizes sea ice edges in Arctic regions and sheltered bays with access to shallow feeding areas rich in fish and invertebrates.

FRESHWATER· majorMARINE· major

Other threatened species in Phocidae

grey sealVU

grey seal

Halichoerus grypus

Unknown

Threatened in Antarctica

Chilean FlamingoVU

Chilean Flamingo

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Unknown
Tall Sea PenVU

Tall Sea Pen

Funiculina quadrangularis

Unknown
VU

Ophiura robusta

Unknown
VU

Champsocephalus esox

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Common Seal classified as Critically Endangered?
Common Seal is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Common Seals face severe threats from habitat degradation, pollution, and human disturbance across their coastal range. Climate change is altering prey availability and ice dynamics in northern populations, while marine pollution including plastics and chemical contaminants continues to impact reproduction and survival rates. Conservation status may vary by region or assessment authority.
Where does Common Seal live?
Common Seal occurs in Antarctica, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, and Estonia (plus 26 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Common Seal?
The main threats to Common Seal are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.