Haul-out behaviour of ringed and bearded seals in relation to defence against surface predators

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Kingsley, Michael C. S., Stirling, I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1991
• Subjects: bearded seal; Erignathus barbatus; Phoca hispida; ringed seal; Ursus maritimus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z91-257; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z91-257

The ringed seal, Phoca hispida, hauls out at the edge of self-maintained breathing holes or narrow cracks, either in fast ice or in the centre of large floes in pack ice, apparently because this reduces its vulnerability to capture by polar bears, Ursus maritimus. Antipredator behaviour of ringed seals at haul-out sites also includes lying facing both their breathing hole and downwind, and vigilance. The much larger bearded seal, Erignathus barbatus, hauls out on the edges of wide leads or large holes in the ice, or on the points of small ice floes, and also faces both the water and downwind. Ice-associated seals which are not threatened by surface predators do not show these behaviour patterns.