Common Seal vs Northern Red-backed Vole

Phoca vitulina compared with Myodes rutilus

Key Differences

• Common Seal is Near Threatened while Northern Red-backed Vole is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Seal	Northern Red-backed Vole
Kingdom same	Animalia (động vật)	Animalia (động vật)
Phylum same	Chordata (động vật có dây sống)	Chordata (động vật có dây sống)
Class same	Mammalia (lớp Thú)	Mammalia (lớp Thú)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Rodentia (Bộ Gặm nhấm)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Cricetidae
Genus	Phoca (Harbor Seals)	Myodes
Species	Phoca vitulina	Myodes rutilus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Seal and Northern Red-backed Vole share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (lớp Thú)

Conservation Status

Common Seal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~500.0K

Trend: Stable →

Northern Red-backed Vole

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Seal	Northern Red-backed Vole
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	1.7 m	—
Average Weight	80.0 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.

Northern Red-backed Vole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Norway, Russia, and Sweden.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇷🇺 Russia 🇸🇪 Sweden