BEHIND THE SCENE

Harp seals pups are among my favourite young animals to photograph, along with emperor penguin chicks and polar bear cubs.
Harp seals in Quebec’s Gulf of Saint Lawrence give birth to their pups on the pack ice in February and March of each year. The pups are yellowish in colour at birth but turn a pure white after a couple of days - hence the label "white coats".
Poor ice conditions over the past few years have deeply affected seal pups’ mortality rates.

On this occasion, after several years and trips cancelled due to poor ice conditions, I was finally able to get out on the ice to spend time with the pups. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life as a wildlife photographer.
Scientists have warned that while a single year of bad ice won’t affect the seal population over the long term, poor conditions over an extended period of time will have a detrimental effect on the future of the species.

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