ShareThisStatus: The seals are rare and considered a species vulnerable to extinction by the World Conservation Union. Numbers of the seals are rising at the Farallon Islands but dropping at the Pribilof Islands, an established breeding ground.
Description: The seals have large, bare flippers. Their soft, thick fur covers the rest of their body. They have very large eyes that give them good night vision. Adult males can weigh 600 pounds; females weigh between 60 and 110 pounds. Their fur color ranges from reddish brown to black.
Range: Their range includes the Bering Sea, waters of northern Japan and down to Southern California in the Pacific Ocean.
Diet: They primarily dive for squid and fish, including walleye pollack, Pacific salmon and herring.
Breeding: Adult males are usually at least 10 years old. Females usually return to breeding islands in June and have their first pups when they are 5 to 6 years old.
Source: National Marine Mammal Laboratory
