Abstract
1. 1. Unrestrained adult harp seals ( Phoca groenlandica) spent 87.7 ± 2.2% ( x ̄ ± SD) of the time diving and the mean dive time was 278.0 ± 35.3 SD. 2. 2. The mean metabolic rate was 3.24 ± 0.69ml O 2·kg −1·min −1 3. 3. The minute ventilation during the surface periods was 62.45 ± 7.32 l·min −1 and the oxygen extraction was 7.34 ± 0.40%. 4. 4. There was a strong negative correlation between metabolic rate and the percentage of time spent diving, and between metabolic rate and mean dive time. There was no correlation between metabolic rate and minute ventilation, or between metabolic rate and oxygen extraction. 5. 5. These results indicate that the ventilatory response of diving seals to an increase in the metabolic O 2 requirements is due to a change in dive pattern rather than an increase in ventilation or gas exchange.
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