Harp seals, hooded seals and ringed seals are the three kinds of seals that are found in the Arctic Ocean.

The baby harp seal’s white coat makes it hard for enemies to spot it and the thick layer of fat under its skin helps it keep warm. Within two weeks, this baby harp seal’s coat will turn from furry white to a smooth and shiny dark grey.

Seals are clumsy on land but are very good swimmers. Their strong flippers and smooth bodies help them move easily in the water. Seals can dive deep and stay under water for half an hour where they feed on fish, squid and krill. Being mammals, seals need to come up for air. If the surface of the water becomes frozen, seals will chew or bash the ice to make ‘breathing holes’. When going up for air, they must always be careful because it’s very likely that an Arctic fox or a polar bear will be waiting to catch them on the surface.