• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

  • Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed

    The Elwha Valley's Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to public entry beyond the Altair Campground during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam. Olympic Hot Springs is not accessible from the Elwha.

Pacific Harbor Seal

A harbor seal on the beach

Harbor seals have a thick layer of blubber that allows them to endure the cold water of the Pacific Ocean.

Identification:
Walking along the beach, don't forget to look to the water for a playful Pacific harbor seal swimming and bobbing alongside. Pacific Harbor seals are one of the few year-round inhabitants of the coastal waters. Though it may be hard to tell from a distance, harbor seals are often grey with either dark or light spots or rings. They have distinctive "V-shaped" nostrils and whiskery snouts.

Habitat:
Harbor seals on the Olympic coast have been known to stay relatively close to the shore, feeding in the intertidal areas and hauling out on offshore rocks, or outcrops.

Diet:
Harbor seals are far from picky eaters, usually taking what is available. They feed on pollock, hake, herring, and other middle and bottom fish.

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