Arctic Seals: Meet the Iconic Species of the North

Top Facts about Iconic Arctic Seal Species

Stretching over 14.5 million square kilometers (5.5. million square miles), the Arctic region covers roughly four percent of the Earth’s surface. While this remote place features low temperatures, sea ice and extreme weather conditions, it’s bustling with wildlife such as animals roaming on land, birds and marine mammals. And did you know that the best way to spot the incredibly diverse fauna is from aboard an expedition ship? Cruising the Arctic waterways gives you opportunities to see Arctic animals in their natural habitat, such as Arctic seals lazing on ice floes, polar bears and whales. And taking a cruise north to the ice edge gives you the chance to see polar bears hunting for seals, waiting at their breathing holes until a seal surfaces! Read on and meet the iconic Arctic seals that call the sea their home and spend their lives on the pack ice of the Northern Hemisphere. .

Bearded Seal

The sagacious-looking bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) is commonly found in shallow bays and fjords. They can be seen, usually alone, hauled out on ice floes in areas where they hunt for benthic fish and invertebrates on the seabed. Weighing up to 770 pounds (350 kg), they are the heaviest of the true seals (earless seals) in Svalbard. Bearded seals can live around 25 years in the wild. As their skin is tougher than other Arctic seals’ skins, Inuit used this precious resource for boat and tent covers, and even shoes.

Bearded seals are easily recognized by their uniformly brown or gray pelage and long vibrissae (whiskers) that curl when dry, giving them the appearance of having an elegant mustache. They are residents of Svalbard but are also found in East Greenland and Franz Josef Land. Close viewing of these calm seals can often be enjoyed from a kayak or Zodiac.

Harp Seal

The harp seal (Phoca groenlandicus) is more pelagic and can be found at the edge of the polar pack ice, sometimes in great concentrations.Harp seals are real ice lovers, spending most of their lives in the cold Arctic waters, coming on land or ice floes only to give birth. Pups feature their iconic white and fluffy coats, which blend in with the white landscapes and provide camouflage from predators.

The population of harp seals around Svalbard is numbered in the millions. Weighing up to 330 pounds (150 kg), adults have characteristic black lines or spots on their backs resembling two linked harps. Pups of this species are infamously clubbed in Canada for their pure white coats, but they are protected in Svalbard. Harp seals can also be found in the icy waters of Franz Josef Land, East Greenland and Jan Mayen, where they can be encountered on drifting sea ice or porpoising through open waters.

Grey Seal

Grey seals belong to the true seal species, featuring short flippers and no earflaps. Adult females can reach up to 250kg (550lb) in weight, while males tend to be larger, reaching up to 400kg (880lb). You can also distinguish females from males by their snout length. Males feature longer snouts than females. Their scientific name (Halichoerus grypus) literally translates as “hooked-nosed pig of the sea.” Grey seals can live from around 25 years (male) to 35 years of age (female). During mating and molting season, grey seals gather in large groups. They also tend to hunt in groups, which maximizes their chances of catching prey. Just like many other ice-breeding Arctic seals, pups feature a white coat, which allows them to blend in with the white Arctic environment, protecting them from predators. You can find these seals on rocky coasts, ice floes and sandbars.

Harbor Seal

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are among the most plentiful seal species roaming the Arctic waters. They can weigh up to 130kg (285lb), with males being slightly larger than females. They have short, dog-like snouts and, like other true seals, they are earless. During mating, pupping and molting season, harbor seals gather in groups, which provide protection from predators. They start diving and swimming at birth and can stay below the water surface for up to two minutes at only two days of age. Adult harbor seals can sleep underwater and surface for air every 30 minutes. You can see them hauling out on beaches, reefs, rocks and ice floes whenever they are not in the water. You can find harbor seals not only in the Arctic, but as far south as California and Portugal.

Hooded Seal

Hooded seals can live up to 35 years in the wild and can reach up to 410kg (900lb) in weight. Males are easily recognizable by their reddish balloon-like bladder that expands from under their nostrils. This large bladder not only intimidates rivaling males…but the larger the bladder, the more attractive the male is regarded by females! Their scientific name (Cystophora cristata) translates as “bladder-bearer.” Hooded seals are more aggressive and territorial than other Arctic seals. While generally solitary, hooded seals meet during mating and molting season on pack ice. Pups can dive within the first few days of their life. Adults are amazing divers and can stay underwater for about an hour at depths of up to one kilometer. Among all mammals, hooded seals have the shortest lactation period (about four days). During this time, pups grow more than 20kg (44lb), which is a daily average of 7kg (15lb)! Given their dependency on diminishing pack ice as their habitat, their conservation status is currently listed as vulnerable. You can find them in the Northwest Atlantic and Greenland Sea.

Ringed Seal

The ringed seal (Phoca hispida) is an Arctic specialist and the most abundant of the Arctic seals. Being the polar bear’s favorite prey, they are naturally nervous and shy of close approach. The ringed seal is the smallest Arctic seal, weighing up to 220 pounds (100 kg). They have silver to brown pelage with a conspicuous pattern of small rings, for which they are named. Ringed seals can be found wherever there is ice, especially on land-fast ice and along the polar ice edge north of Spitsbergen. They use sharp claws to maintain breathing holes in ice up to 7 feet (2 m) thick. Ringed seals have a circumpolar distribution and are common in Svalbard, East Greenland and Franz Josef Land. They have even been seen at the North Pole.