Alaska Species Explorer
- Steller Sea Lion
- Ringed Seal
- Spotted Seal
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Steller Sea Lion -
Ringed Seal -
Spotted Seal
All
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- – No known individuals remaining.
- – Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.
- – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
- – High risk of extinction in the wild.
- – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
- – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
- – Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a higher risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.
- – Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction.
- – Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.
Ringed Seal
- – No known individuals remaining.
- – Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.
- – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
- – High risk of extinction in the wild.
- – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
- – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
- – Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a higher risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.
- – Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction.
- – Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.
The ringed seal is found in the Northern Hemisphere with a circumpolar distribution ranging from 35°N to the North Pole. There is only one recognized stock of ringed seals in U.S. waters: the Alaska stock.
There are 4 subspecies: Ladoga (Phoca hispida ladogensis), Arctic (Phoca hispida hispida), Okhotsk (Phoca hispida ochotensis), and Baltic (Phoca hispida botnica). Arctic is the only species found in U.S waters. In December 2012 they were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
Females give birth to a single pup in March or April after a 9 month gestation period. Pups are weaned after one month and females usually begin mating in late April. During the spring breeding season, females construct lairs within the thick ice and give birth in these structures.
- The ringed seal is the smallest and most common seal in the Arctic.
- Climate change is potentially the most serious threat to ringed seal populations since much of their habitat is dependent upon pack ice
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They have strong claws that are used to maintain breathing holes through up to 6 ft (2 m) thick ice.
