Ribbon seal

The ribbon seal is a mid-sized seal species found throughout the Arctic and sub-arctic.

Young ribbon seals look like young harp seals. In the past, they were hunted too close to extinction, but Russia banned their hunting in 1969 and the population has bounced back to 250,000.

In March 2008, the USA government considered listing this species on the endangered list, unfortunately the government decided that climate change did not threaten the sea ice to remain – as a result they decided not to list the species IT IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS THE USA GOVERNMENTS POSITION. In 2009 it was sued to reconsider, and in 2013 it decided once again that listing was not required.

Grey Seal

There are 2 recognized subspecies, one in the Baltic sea and the other in North west and east of the Atlantic (this is the other common species found in UK waters.

Grey seal

There are a number of well known breeding colonies around the coast of the UK. Notable colonies in the UK, include Blakeny point in Norfolk, the Farne and Orkney islands. There is also colonies around the USA and Canada.

Around much of the world, the primary hunter is the Orca, though there are also a variety of sharks that will also take one if given the chance. Recent observations have also shown that they take harbour seals and porpoises if they get the chance.

There has also been a significant level of cannibalism where male seals kill pups of its own species.

Harbour Seal

The harbour seal is hugely widely spread around the northern hemisphere. Indeed, it is the widely spread pinniped species, found around the north of the Atlantic, Pacific Baltic and North seas.

Harbour seal

The global population is thought to be 350,000-500,000 (though there is a subspecies Ungava in Northern Quebec which is endangered.

Populations in Greenland, Hokkaido and the Baltic sea are reducing, and so are threatened. Here populations have been greatly reduced or eliminated.

There are 5 recognized subspecies as they are spread so widely across the world.

There are roughly 100,000 seals in Europe, and about 30% of them are in UK waters.

Spotted Seal

Also known as the Larga or Largha seal, it is considered a true seal which inhabits the ice floes of North pacific ocean. There is a fear that global warming might reduce ice floes and therefore end this population, but thus-far it does not appear to have had any impact.

A spotted seal

The bering sea population currently number around 100,000, with a second population of 100,000 in the sea of Japan. A third population of 3300 live in the LIadong bay in China,

It is not currently thought that climate change will impact sea ice enough to threaten the population in the near future.

Caspian Seal

One of the smallest seals, it is found exclusively along the shore and in the very salty Caspian sea. Evidence suggests that like similar populations, seals initially migrated along rivers, which have now ceased to exist, cutting them off from the rest of the world.

The caspian seal

At various times, illnesses like canine distemper has swept through the population, killing thousands, but thankfully never wiping out the whole population.

100 years ago, the seal population was around 1.5 million. Through various problems from humans, such as reducing fish stocks, and various illnesses this population has dropped to its current level of around 70,000.

Increasing industrial activity has lead to an increase in chemicals that damage the seals in the water. It is thought that this is having an impact of reducing the seals capacity of fighting off diseases.

Sea eagles do predate young, and are known to kill quite a few.

A die-off of around 2500 happened in December 2022. At this time, it is not clear what caused this.

Baikal Seal

Baikal Seal

The Baikal Seal is only found in lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. Like the Caspian seal it is related to the Arctic ringed seal. It is also the only exclusively pinniped fresh water species (there are other species which have subspecies which live in fresh water, but none where the whole species lives this way. Currently, there are 80,000-100,000 seals in the lake, which is the calculated carrying capacity. As such, they are not considered endangered at all.

It is unclear how seals got to the lake, though they may well have lived in the lake since it was connected to the sea, some 2 million years ago.

There is a small quota which is meant to not effect the population. While the quota may not, poaching is thought to be at least several times the amount of legal hunting, meaning that this should be taken into account but probably is not at the current time.

The biggest threat, is likely to be climate change, and warming waters is likely to have a big impact on a closed water system like this.

Seals are able to suckle for as much as 3 months, which is far more than many species. They keep growing until 20-25 and often live to 50 years old – a very impressive age compared to many other species.

Beneath this, we have a video of this species in the wild, and beneath this is a list of any articles which have been written on this species (there may as yet be none, but this will hopefully change in the future).

We are also keen to help wildlife be of value to people who live nearby, so at the bottom of the page, we are keen to list any links that will help people book to see this species in th wild.

Ringed Seal

The ringed seal inhabits the Arctic and sub-arctic, and is fairly small rarely growing to more than 1.5m long.

It is the most abundant and widest ranging seal in the Northern hemisphere (it has 2 freshwater subspecies that live in Northern Europe). It is thought to have a global population of around 2 million.

They are one of the primary prey of both polar bears and killer whales.

There are 5 recognized subspecies (3 have been eradicated, as being to similar to others).

The two fresh water subspecies are found in lakes, one in lake Lodoga in North-western Russia – with a population of 2000-3000 (down from 20,000 in 1900), and the other in lake Saimaa in Finland – the 4th largest in Europe with an area of 1600 square miles with a current population of around 400 individuals. They have been cut off from other ringed seals for around 9500 years. In 1955, the population was thought to be around 150 so it has grown nicely, but whether its population will be allowed to grow any further is anyones guess.

Hooded Seal

Found in the Northern Atlantic, they are found from Svalbard in the east to the Gulf of St Laurence in the west.

A harbour seal

They are known for the skin on their head, which is called a hood – males can inflate this during mating to impress the females.

Generally living on drift ice in the arctic ocean and the North Atlantic. Highly migratory, they have been recorded increasingly far south in recent decades, including France and Portugal, with several strandings in Spain. No-one has yet identified the reason for these increasingly long migrations – but as similar distances have been recorded in the USA, it is clearly a reason that effects much of the population. Before 1940 they were hunted widely, but only subsistence hunting occurs these days, and it is thought that provided nothing else is threatening the population it can manage this level of human predation.

With the increased population, 10,000 are culled each year, to keep the population under control

There are 4 known places that they breed, and generally live 30-35 years.

The North-west Atlantic population has been roughly stable over the last 60 years, but unfortunately the North-east Atlantic population has dropped 85-90% over the last 60 years.

Bearded Seal

Bearded seal, also known as the square flipper seal

Bearded seal

They are the largest seal in northern waters, with females weighing up to 300kg. Fossils found in 2002 suggest that in the Pleistocene epoch, they were found as far south as South Carolina.

They are arctic species found on essentially all of the coast around the north pole, though having said this, they have been spotted in Japan and China, as well as around much of the European coast, as far south as Spain.

They mostly feed on prey found on the ocean floor. They generally enter the water just hours after being born. Predated on by orca and Polar bears, it is thought that Polar bears rely in this seal species quite heavily in parts of their range.

Bearded seals produce distinct trills (with their voice) that can carry 30km.

There are currently 2 recognized subspecies, imaginatively named the Eastern and Western bearded seal.

With currently large populations ( they are considered least concern) there is a thought, that as they rely on ice for some of their life it is thought that as climate change continues it could have an adverse impact on this population.

Below this is a video clip about the species, and below this is a list of any mentions that this species has had on this blog. 

Below this, we will list any links that will help you see this species in the wild. If you wish to add your services or destination where you can see this species (or another one)  click list your wild place on the home page, and fill in the form. It is a quick and simple process, which will create you a simple page to advertise your services or destination.  Should you work in conservation or tourism of this species, we would also be interested in listing any articles on the species, that you might create (this will help advertise seeing this species).

Weddell seal

Weddell Seal

The Weddell seal is a relatively abundant seal found all around Antarctica. It takes its name from the captain of the expedition ship which first described it in 1820. It is the only mammal, which overwinters in Antarctica.

Born at 25-30kg, pups generally double their birth weight in the first week. The pups will start swimming after a week or two, and are weened after around 6 weeks and start hunting independently.

Generally 6-8 years old before they first breed, though females can be far younger. They can live to be 25 years old. They are the second most numerous in Antarctic waters, with a population thought to number around 200,000.

Population counts are not regularly done, as with the population being so widespread it is very expensive. Increasing resolution of satellite images might allow a closer more regular eye to be kept on these seals.

In the early days of Antarctic exploration they were overhunted, but since this time their numbers have recovered. Its current status is considered least concern.

They can hold their breathe for as long as 80 minutes, and keeps its ice hole clear by regularly grinding on its edge with its teeth. Being able to stay under this long, they can also dive to 600m. In the incredibly cold temperatures of the Antarctic winter, they will regularly slide into the water, to warm up.

 

 

Below is a list of articles written on this species (if any). Below that, we will add any links that will help you see this animal in the wild. Having said this, being an Antarctic resident, a trip to Antarctica is required to see these in the wild.

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