Early summer is a great time to travel to the coast in search of the harbor seal.
California's most common marine mammal, the harbor seal is often missed at first glance. Unlike their noisy relatives, the California and Steller's sea lions and northern elephant seals, harbor seals make little noise and their mottled fur allows them to practically disappear against the rocks and sand. The key to finding the seals is knowing a little about their lifestyle. To guard against California's cold water temperatures, seals maintain a thick layer of fat beneath their skin, giving them a thick sausage shape. They spend many hours during low tide hauled out on a favorite sandbar or rocky island soaking in the warm sunshine.