The waters of the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence are renowned for their marine wildlife, especially marine mammals. While the maritime regions of Québec are best known as whale-watching destinations (where you can see beluga whales, among others), you can also spot seals along the coastlines of these regions. Eastern Québec has two seal seasons, each represented by two species: harbour seals and grey seals in the summer, and harp seals and hooded seals in the winter.

Harbour and grey seals spend the summer feeding in our waters and migrate south to the ice-free eastern coast of the United States in the winter. Harp and hooded seals come to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and sometimes the estuary in the winter to whelp their pups; they migrate north in the spring to the subarctic and arctic waters to feed.

The harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) is the smallest of the Laurentian seals, reaching a length of 1.2 to 1.8 metres (4 to 6 feet) and weighing up to 110 kg (245 lbs). This seal is easy to recognize thanks to its signature “banana pose”: when resting on a rock or beach, it tends to lie on its side with its head and flippers elevated. The harbour seal has a short plump body and small catlike head. Harbour seals are quite shy and will retreat upon encountering boats or hikers. They are common in the maritime regions of Québec, especially in the Rivière-du-Loup area, on Île Verte, between Le Bic and Sainte-Flavie in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, and in Forillon National Park in Gaspésie.

The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) is the most common of the Laurentian seals. It’s also one of the largest, reaching a length of 1.8 to 2.3 metres (6 to 7.5 feet) and weighing 150 to 230 kg (330 to 510 lbs). As its name indicates, this seal is grey with darker patches and has a horse-like head: its muzzle is long with widely spaced nostrils. The diving champion among Québec seals, the grey seal can dive to 300 metres (1000 feet) and stay underwater for up to 30 minutes. Grey seals can often be spotted along the north shore of the St. Lawrence from Tadoussac to Blanc-Sablon (in Côte-Nord) and on the south shore from Rivière-du-Loup to Percé.

The harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) is one of the Arctic’s most iconic species. About 1.5 metres (5 feet) long and weighing 120 kg (260 lbs), this seal has a silvery grey body with dark harp- or wishbone-shaped markings. Harp seals are one of the most numerous large mammals on earth, with a world population of about 6 million. These seals migrate to the ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in February to breed and whelp their pups (after a gestation period of nearly a year).

The hooded seal Cystophora cristata) owes its name to the inflatable hood on the top of the heads of males. Relatively uncommon in the St. Lawrence, this seal is about 2.3 metres (7.5 feet) long and weighs 350 kg (770 lbs). Hooded seals can be found on the ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence from late February to early March. Young seals can sometimes be seen in the St. Lawrence Estuary in the spring.

In Québec, seals are much easier to observe than cetaceans because they commonly rest on the shore, rocks, beaches or even wharves. They can also be found in more populated areas since they often visit harbours and marinas to feed or rest. Seals are therefore a common sight both in the summer and in the winter along the coasts of Eastern Québec. If you keep your eyes peeled as you travel, you’re very likely to spot a few!