A Review of the Developmental, Behavioural and Physiological Adaptations of the Ringed Seal, Phoca hispida, to Life in the Arctic Winter

• Published in: ARCTIC
• Main Authors: Smith, Thomas G., Hammill, Michael O., Taugbøl, Geir
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1991
• Subjects: Animal behaviour; Animal ecology; Animal physiology; Cold adaptation; Cold physiology; Predation; Sea ice ecology; Seals (Animals); Winter ecology; Wildlife habitat; Amundsen Gulf; N.W.T; Arctic regions; Baffin Island; Nunavut; Barrow Strait; Canadian Arctic Islands waters; Svalbard; Svalbard waters; Antarctic; Arctic; The Antarctic; Weddell; Alopex lagopus; Antarc*; Arctique*; Baffin; Leptonychotes weddelli; Phoca hispida; phoque annelé; ringed seal; Sea ice; Ursus maritimus; Weddell Seals
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64582

Ringed seals Phoca hispida, the smallest of the marine arctic pinnipeds, are one of only two seal species in the world adapted to life in the land-fast sea ice. The habitat is characterized by a stable ice platform forming in early winter and lies at latitudes subject to extreme low temperatures. Th...