Gallery: Seals of the World

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Hawaiian Monk Seal

Monk seal

(Image credit: Dr. James P. McVey, NOAA Sea Grant Program)

The Hawaiian monk seal's Hawaiian name translates to "dog that runs in rough water." The seal is the only seal native to Hawaii, and it is now an endangered species.

Elephant Seals

Elephant seals

(Image credit: Jan Roletto, NOAA)

Elephant seals, seen here on the Farallon Islands off the coast of California, live in harems, with one male mating with many females.

Weddell Seal

Antarctic seal

(Image credit: Michael Van Woert, NOAA NESDIS, ORA)

An Antarctic Weddell seal comes up for air at a breathing hole. Weddell seals can stay submerged for more than an hour

Weddell pup

Weddell seal pup

(Image credit: Commander John Bortniak, NOAA Corps)

Weddell seals haul out on ice to give birth and suckle their young. This pup takes a break from feeding to pose for the camera.

Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Live Science Contributor

Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.