Ringed seal: quick facts
The ringed seal is the smallest and most common Arctic seal and the main prey of the polar bear. It survives the frozen sea by clawing and maintaining breathing holes in the ice and digging snow lairs to raise its pups, making it one of the most ice-adapted of all Arctic marine mammals.
Scientific name
Pusa hispida
Group
Pinniped (true seal)
Length
About 1–1.5 m
Weight
Up to ~70 kg
Lifespan
~25–30 years
Diet
Small fish and crustaceans
Range
Arctic Ocean, circumpolar
Population
Millions (most abundant Arctic seal)
Conservation
Least Concern
Sources: NOAA Fisheries — Ringed Seal; IUCN Red List — Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida). Educational information only. See our sources & fact-check policy.