Editing Harp seal (section)

==Population and Distribution==
Global harp seal population estimates total around 4.5 million individuals.<ref name="iucn" /> Due to their dependence on pack ice for breeding, the harp seal range is restricted to areas where pack ice forms seasonally.<ref name="Perrin-2009" /> The western North Atlantic stock or population, which is the largest, is located off [[eastern Canada]].<ref name="Britannica" /> This population is further divided into two separate "herds" based on the breeding location. The Front "herd" breeds off the [[coast]] of [[Labrador]] and [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], and the Gulf herd breeds near the [[Magdalen Islands]] in the middle of the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]]. A second stock breeds on the "[[West Ice]]" off eastern Greenland. A third stock breeds on the "East Ice" in the [[White Sea]], which is off the north coast of [[Russia]] below the Barents ea. Breeding occurs between mid-February and April, and varies somewhat for each stock.<ref name="Fisheries" /> The three stocks are [[Allopatric speciation|allopatric]] and do not interbreed.<ref name="Berta-2012">{{Cite journal|last1=Berta|first1=Annalisa|last2=Churchill|first2=Morgan|date=2012-07-01|title=Pinniped taxonomy: review of currently recognized species and subspecies, and evidence used for their description|journal=Mammal Review|language=en|volume=42|issue=3|pages=207–234|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2907.2011.00193.x|bibcode=2012MamRv..42..207B |issn=1365-2907}}</ref> 

The number of pups born in the traditional pupping area of the southern [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]] was greatly reduced,{{Clarify|reason=Compared to?|date=March 2025}} with an estimated pup production of only 18,300 (95% CI, 15,400-21,200 rounded to the nearest hundred). Another 13,600 (95% CI, 7,700-19,500) pups were born in the northern Gulf. An estimated 714,600 (95% CI, 538,800-890,400) pups were born off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland (Front); accounting for 96% of all pupping in 2017. Combining the estimates from all areas resulted in an estimated total pup production of 746,500 (95% CI, 570,300-922,700).<ref>{{cite web |title=2019 Status of Northwest Atlantic Harp Seals, Pagophilus groenlandicus |url=https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/SAR-AS/2020/2020_020-eng.html |website=Fisheries and Oceans Canada |date=26 March 2020 |access-date=2 March 2021}}</ref>

There are two recognised subspecies:<ref name="Berta-2012" />
{| class="wikitable "
|-
! Image !! Subspecies !!  Distribution
|-
|[[File:Harp seal at False Cape (cut).jpg|120px]]||''Pagophilus groenlandicus groenlandicus''  ||Eastern [[Canada]] to [[Norway]]
|-
|||''Pagophilus groenlandicus oceanicus'' ||[[White Sea|White]] and [[Barents Sea|Barents]] seas
|-
|}

===Migration and vagrancy===
Harp seals are strongly [[wikt:migration|migratory]], the northwest population regularly moves up to {{convert|4000|km|mi}} northeast outside of the breeding season;<ref name=ronald>Ronald, K., & Healey, P. J. (1981). Harp Seal. Chapter 3 in Ridgeway, S. H., & Harrison, R. J., eds. ''Handbook of Marine Mammals'', vol. 2 ''Seals''. Academic Press, London.</ref> one individual was located off the north Norwegian coast, {{convert|4640|km|mi}} east northeast of its tagging location.<ref name=sergeant>{{cite journal|author=Sergeant, D.E. |title=Transatlantic migration of a Harp Seal, ''Pagophilus groenlandicus'' |journal=Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada |volume=30 |pages=124–125 |doi=10.1139/f73-020|year=1973 }}</ref> Their navigational accuracy is high, with good eyesight an important factor.<ref name=ronald/><ref name=king>King, J. E. (2015). ''Seals of the World'', 2nd. ed. British Museum, London.</ref> They are occasionally found as [[vagrancy (biology)|vagrants]], south of their normal range. In [[Great Britain]], a total of 31 vagrants were recorded between 1800 and 1988.<ref name=corbet>{{cite book |editor-last=Corbet |editor-first=G. B. |editor-last2=Harris |editor-first2=S. |year=1991 |title=The Handbook of British Mammals |edition=3rd |publisher=Blackwell |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0632016914 }}</ref>

More recently, they reached [[Lindisfarne]] in [[Northumberland]] in September 1995,<ref name=nhsn>{{cite journal|author=Frankis, M. P.|author2=Davey, P. R.|author3=Anderson, G. Q. A.|name-list-style=amp |year=1997|title= Harp Seal: a new mammal for the Northumberland fauna|journal=Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Northumbria|volume=57|issue=4|pages=239–241}}</ref> and the [[Shetland Islands]] in 1987. The latter was linked to a mass movement of harp seals into Norwegian waters; by mid-February 1987, 24,000 were reported drowned in fishing nets and perhaps 30,000 (about 10% of the world population) had invaded [[fjord]]s as far south as [[Oslo]]. The animals were emaciated, likely due to commercial fishing causing competition for the seals' prey.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Anon |year=1987 |title=Harp Seals, Brunnich's Guillemots and White-billed Divers |journal=[[Twitching (magazine)|Twitching]] |volume= 1 |issue=3 |pages=58 }}</ref>

Harp seals can strand on Atlantic coasts, often in warmer months, due to dehydration and [[parasite load]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nmlc.org/rehabilitation/rounds-notes/ |title=Rounds Notes {{!}} National Marine Life Center|website=nmlc.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-10}}</ref> In March 2020, a harp seal was spotted near [[Salvo, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hampton |first1=Jeff |title=Two seals spotted on Outer Banks beaches |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/life/wildlife-nature/vp-nw-seal-sighting-20200327-yd3g4ttprrgj3elt5no3xpkahu-story.html |work=pilotonline.com |date=2020-03-27}}</ref> Harp seals often consume snow to stay hydrated, but in mild winters may not have enough available. Several centers are active in seal rescue and rehabilitation, including [[International Fund for Animal Welfare|IFAW]], [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]], and the [[New England Aquarium]]. Harp seals are protected by the [[Marine Mammal Protection Act]] in the [[United States]].