Photo: Whitecoat Seal

A cute harp seal, also known as a whitecoat seal, awaits the return of it's mom on the ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near the Magdalen Islands of Canada.

Very young Harp Seal pups are also known as whitecoat seals.

It is illegal for hunters to hunt and kill a whitecoat seal pup on the ice floes in the St. Lawrence, however in a few days when this cute harp seal pup sheds it's white coat it will be deemed old enough to be slaughtered (at age 12 to 14 days). Most harp seal pups are only 20-25 days old when the annual seal hunt begins.

The annual seal hunt which targets harp seals, hooded seals, and grey seals, usually takes place between March and May and begins around the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island before moving to the east coast of Newfoundland.

This image was taken during Heather and Paul McCartneys visit to the floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Don't miss our other cute animal pictures.