Distinguishing features of this earless seal include square fore flippers and thick bristles on its muzzle. Adults are … See more

Bearded seals are extant in Arctic and subarctic regions. In the Pacific region, they extend from the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic, south into the Bering Sea where they span from Bristol Bay on the Alaskan coast to the Sea of Okh… See more

Primarily benthic, bearded seals feed on a variety of small prey found along the ocean floor, including clams, squid, and fish. Their whiskers serve as feelers in the soft bottom sediments. Adults tend not to dive very deep, favor… See more

Bearded seals give birth in the spring. In the Canadian Arctic, seal pupping occurs in May. In Svalbard, bearded seals reach sexual maturity at 5 or 6 years of age. Further south, in Alaska, most pups are born in lat… See more