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Phoca vitulina

Harbor Seal, Common Seal

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Containing group: Phoca

Other Names for Phoca vitulina

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Phoca vitulina
Location Estero Bluffs, Cayucos, California, USA
Comments Harbor Seal on the Estero Bluffs (Cayucos, CA), Photos by Mike Baird, bairdphotos.com
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Source harbor-seal-estero-bluffs_mg_2278
Source Collection Flickr
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 2.0.
Copyright © 2006 Mike Baird
Scientific Name Phoca vitulina
Location Morro Bay Estuary, California, USA
Comments These Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Morro Bay, CA Estuary need to be given a wide berth by kayakers and photographers so as not to be disturbed. The best way to get a close-up image is to paddle alone or with just one other boat, to have a long focal-length lens, establish an initial position and remain motionless, while letting the tide drift you past their haul out in such a manner that the seals know you will not be invading them. If they scramble or show anxiety you have violated their sanctuary. The best shots are those in which the seals are not even looking at you, because that is a sign you are too close.
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Source harbor-seal-morro-bay_5
Source Collection Flickr
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License - Version 2.0.
Copyright © 2007 Mike Baird
About This Page

Page: Tree of Life Phoca vitulina. Harbor Seal, Common Seal. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Tree of Life Web Project. 2009. Phoca vitulina. Harbor Seal, Common Seal. Version 06 September 2009 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Phoca_vitulina/123809/2009.09.06 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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Each ToL leaf page provides a synopsis of the characteristics of a group of organisms representing a leaf at the tip of the Tree of Life. The major distinction between a leaf and a branch of the Tree of Life is that a leaf cannot generally be further subdivided into subgroups representing distinct genetic lineages.

For a more detailed explanation of the different ToL page types, have a look at the Structure of the Tree of Life page.

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Phoca vitulina

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