The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the common seal, is a real seal found in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere and the coastal line of the Arctic Ocean. Pinky (walruses, eared seals and true seals) are most widely distributed and found in coastal waters of the North Atlantic and Pacific, Baltic and North Sea.

Spotted seals are brown, silvery white, tan or gray with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. Adults can be up to 1.85 meters (6.1 feet) tall and weigh 132 kilograms (290 pounds). The oil under the seal helps keep the body warm. Women live longer than men (30-35 and 20-25 years). Spotted seals stick to familiar resting areas or fallow fields near foraging areas, usually rocky areas (although ice, sand and soil can also be used), where they are protected from severe weather conditions and predators. Males may fight for partners underwater and on land. After 9 months of gestation, the female only gives birth to one cub, and they take care of it alone. The pup weighs 16 kg (35 lbs) and can swim and dive within hours of birth. They rely on their mother's fat rich milk to grow rapidly and wean four to six weeks later.

Seals have a global population of 350000 – 500000, but subspecies in some habitats are threatened. In the past, many countries sealed within the range of animals are now illegal.