Seal moulting is the process of shedding old fur, skin, or both, and growing new ones. This periodic shedding allows seals to maintain healthy fur and skin, ensuring their survival in their natural habitats. The moulting process can be quite dramatic, especially for some species like elephant seals and Hawaiian monk seals, which undergo a more extreme form of moulting, often referred to as "catastrophic moulting".
During moulting, seals may appear ragged or unkempt as they shed their old fur and skin, but this is a normal and necessary part of their life cycle. The moulting process requires a significant amount of energy, so seals often spend this time on land to increase blood supply to the skin. They may also fast and rely on their energy reserves during this period.
The timing of moulting varies between seal species, but it generally occurs right after the pupping season. For example, grey seals in Scotland start their moulting process between mid-January and mid-February, while harbour seals in the same region molt in the summer, between the end of July and mid-August, with pups being born in June.
