Harbor seals are not abundant off the coast of Orange County but we do have one colony of them at Abalone Point which is inaccessible to foot traffic. If you're snorkeling in the area of Laguna Beach, you might just get a visit from one of these seals around the kelp beds. On land they are extremely timid and shy of humans but in the water they tend to be more in their element and comfortable around humans. Although their name depicts it, these pinnipeds are not typically found inside our harbors but occasionally will be seen towards the entrance/exits of them. The color variations of harbor seals can range from tan to gray to black and can be differentiated from sea lions by the lack of external ear flaps and their inability to walk on all four limbs but instead can only hop around. Harbor seals also have to have their own space when resting on land unlike sea lions which will pile up on top of each other.

Max. Weight: 300 pounds

Max. Length: 6 feet

Life Span: 30 years