It is not far-fetched to say that the biggest cause of endangerment of many species is human activity. A great example of this is the Harp Seal (Phoca groenlandica), where it is categorized as endangered species due to excessive hunting.
The harp seal is generally 5.5 feet long and its weight ranges from 115-180 kg. They will live for a maximum of 30 years. Adults have creamy white with dark brown head and broad dark brown U-shaped pattern on their back, which runs across the shoulders to the tail. Immature are 2-3 years old, pale grey in color and spotted with darker grey. The harp seals have 5 stout claws on each fore flipper and their fur is dense, stiff, velvety and 2 cm in length.
The population can be divided by 3 different breeding locations; The White Sea, the West Ice between Jan Mayen and Greenland, and northwest Atlantic near Newfoundland. Most number of harp seals is found in the northwest Atlantic region and is genetically different from seals in the two other areas. They are very migratory, and the northwest population will migrate up to 4000 km northeast.
The major reason for endangerment of this animal is due to hunting, where almost 225,000 were hunted in 2006 alone after seal hunting became legal. Their fur and blubbers are very valuable. However, after the seals being almost extinct, it is now illegal to hunt these seals and fortunately, their number is growing every year.