Bad-smelling Alkanet vs Common Seal

Alkanna maleolens compared with Phoca vitulina

Key Differences

• Bad-smelling Alkanet is Critically Endangered while Common Seal is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bad-smelling Alkanet	Common Seal
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Boraginales (Boraginales)	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)
Family	Boraginaceae	Phocidae (True Seals)
Genus	Alkanna	Phoca (Harbor Seals)
Species	Alkanna maleolens	Phoca vitulina

Conservation Status

Bad-smelling Alkanet

CR — Critically Endangered

Common Seal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~500.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bad-smelling Alkanet	Common Seal
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	1.7 m
Average Weight	—	80.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bad-smelling Alkanet

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Seal

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Bad-smelling Alkanet

The Bad-smelling Alkanet (Alkanna maleolens) is a species in the genus Alkanna. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Seal

The most widely distributed pinniped, harbor seals inhabit temperate and subarctic coastal waters of both the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Adults reach up to 130 kg and spend roughly equal time at sea hunting fish, squid, and crustaceans and hauling out on beaches or rocks to rest. Their large, expressive eyes are adapted for underwater vision in low light. Harbor seals are a critical food source for orcas, sharks, and polar bears.