Photo by @daisygilardini Harp seals in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Québec, Canada, give birth to their pups on the pack ice in February and March each year. They are yellowish in color at birth but turn a pure white after a couple of days, hence the label whitecoats. Poor ice conditions over the past few years have deeply affected the pups’ mortality rates. Scientists say that while a single year of bad ice won’t affect the population unduly, poor ice patterns over a period of time could have a dramatic and worrying effect on the future of the species. Follow me @DaisyGilardini for more images and stories from behind the scenes. #harpseal #seal #Canada #magdalenislands