Mammals
Ringed Seal
Pusa hispida · also called ringed seals
Hidden within a concealed snow lair built directly above its own carved breathing hole, a ringed seal shelters a newborn pup from the bitter Arctic cold, unaware that a hungry polar bear somewhere on the ice above depends almost entirely on finding seals exactly like this one to survive.
Overview
The ringed seal, Pusa hispida, is the smallest and most widespread seal species in the Arctic, native to ice-covered waters across the Arctic and parts of the subarctic. Its ice-carving breathing holes, concealed snow lair shelters, and critical role as the primary prey species for polar bears make it one of the most ecologically foundational marine mammals found anywhere in the Arctic ecosystem.
The seal an entire Arctic food web depends on
Few single prey species carry as much ecological weight as the ringed seal, whose abundance and accessibility beneath the ice directly shapes the hunting success, health, and ultimately survival of polar bear populations across the Arctic.
Status
Least Concern but decreasing in parts of its range, remaining the most numerous Arctic seal species overall while facing growing threats from the ongoing loss of the sea ice it depends on closely.
Ringed Seal: common questions
Why is the ringed seal so important to polar bears?
This species serves as the primary food source for polar bears across most of the Arctic, meaning polar bear hunting success and overall survival depend directly on the abundance, distribution, and accessibility of ringed seals within a given area of sea ice.
How does the ringed seal breathe under thick Arctic ice?
This species uses sharp claws on its front flippers to carve and maintain multiple breathing holes through thick sea ice, allowing it to surface for air repeatedly even in areas where the ice cover would otherwise prevent access to the surface.
What is a ringed seal snow lair?
This species constructs a concealed shelter called a snow lair above one of its breathing holes, using the enclosed space to give birth and shelter pups from both predators, including polar bears, and the harsh weather conditions typical of the Arctic environment.
Why is the ringed seal considered vulnerable to climate change?
This species depends closely on stable sea ice for breathing holes, snow lairs, and resting, making it especially sensitive to the ongoing loss and thinning of Arctic sea ice linked to climate change, a habitat change that directly threatens its ability to reproduce and survive successfully.