Mammals
Bearded Seal
Erignathus barbatus · also called bearded seals
Hovering just above the shallow Arctic seafloor, a bearded seal sweeps its extraordinarily long, dense whiskers across the sediment, feeling for buried clams and crabs, the largest seal species in the Arctic using touch alone to hunt in water too murky for sight.
Overview
The bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus, is the largest true seal species found in the Arctic, native to ice-covered shallow coastal and continental shelf waters across the Arctic and adjacent subarctic regions. Its remarkably long, sensitive facial whiskers, role as an important secondary prey species for polar bears, and distinctive underwater breeding call make it one of the more physically and ecologically significant seals found in the Arctic marine ecosystem.
A hunter that feels its way to food
Rather than relying on sight in the often dark, murky waters near the Arctic seafloor, the bearded seal instead uses an extraordinarily sensitive set of facial whiskers, feeling its way to buried prey that would otherwise remain completely hidden.
Status
Least Concern but decreasing in parts of its range, widespread across suitable ice-covered shallow water habitat throughout the Arctic, with declines linked to the loss and thinning of Arctic sea ice.
Bearded Seal: common questions
Why does the bearded seal have such long whiskers?
This species has an extraordinarily long, dense set of facial whiskers used to feel for prey buried in soft seafloor sediment, a highly sensitive tactile adaptation that allows it to locate bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as clams and crabs even in murky or dark water conditions.
How big is the bearded seal compared to other Arctic seals?
This species is the largest true seal found in the Arctic, noticeably bigger than several other ice-dependent seal species sharing the same polar waters, including the smaller and more numerous ringed seal.
Is the bearded seal important to polar bears?
Yes, this species serves as an important secondary food source for polar bears across parts of the Arctic, supplementing the ringed seal as significant prey, particularly for larger polar bears capable of successfully hunting a bigger seal species.
What does a male bearded seal's call sound like?
A male of this species produces a distinctive, long, descending underwater call during the breeding season, a vocalisation used to establish territory and attract mates that can carry for considerable distances through the water, making it one of the more recognisable sounds of the Arctic underwater soundscape.