Common Seal vs Polar bear

Phoca vitulina compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• Common Seal is Near Threatened while Polar bear is Vulnerable.
• Polar bear is 5.6x heavier than Common Seal.
• Common Seal lives longer (30 years vs 25 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Seal	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Phoca (Harbor Seals)	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Phoca vitulina	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Seal and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Common Seal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~500.0K

Trend: Stable →

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Seal	Polar bear
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	30 years	25 years
Average Length	1.7 m	2.4 m
Average Weight	80.0 kg	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway