One of the 13 seals on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Phocidae
Bearded Seal
Erignathus barbatus
Least Concern
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The bearded seal is the largest seal in the Arctic, with a heavy body, a small head and the long, dense whiskers that give it its beard and its name. It feeds by rooting on the sea floor: clams, crabs, worms and bottom-dwelling fish, which it locates by touch with its whiskers. It prefers shallow water with drifting ice and is important prey for the polar bear and the killer whale. It is also an essential resource for Inuit communities.
Weight
200 kg – 430 kg
Size
2.1 m – 2.7 m
Life expectancy
25 years
