Baby Hooded Seal Cystophora cristata
on the docks at East Boston. Photos by Bruce Berman

Mr. Berman operates the harbor monitor boat for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. On a monthly basis he censuses the seals in Boston Harbor. He states that this young Hooded Seal probably weighed in at about 150 pounds. Adults males grow to as much as 650 pounds. These photos were taken in February 1998.

Although Harbor Seals are casual but regular visitors to the harbor, Hooded Seal is an extremely rare vagrant from arctic waters, though some individuals are known to wander and have been sighted as far south as Florida in winter.

On a February 21 "Winter Wildlife Cruise," sponsored by MDC and the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands, over 40 Harbor Seals were tallied, mostly out about 10 miles, hauled out at low tide on the eastern shore of the outer Brewster Islands. Another such cruise is planned for March 21; check the Friends' web site.