Scientific Name: Erignathus barbatus
Population: Estimated at ~750,000 globally
Destinations: Jan Mayen, Iceland, Canada, Svalbard, Greenland, Norway
Average Lenght: Adult: 2.0–2.5 m (6.6–8.9 ft); Newborn: ~1.3 m (~4.3 ft)
Average Weight: Adult: 250–425 kg (551–937 lbs); Newborn: ~33–40 kg (~73-88lbs)
Diet Habits: Omnivorous benthic feeder; eats mussels, shrimp, crabs, cod, flatfish, and seafloor invertebrates.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Phocidae
Genus: Erignathus
Species: Erignathus barbatus
Egnlish: Bearded Seal
Danish: Skælhvalros
Chinese: 鬚海豹 (Xū hǎibào)
Swedish: Skäggsäl
Finnish: Viiksihylje
Norwegian: Storkobbe
Polish: Foka brodata
Japanese: シワヒモアザラシ (Shiwahimo azarashi)
Spanish: Foca barbuda
French: Phoque barbu
Bearded seals are the largest of the northern phocid seals. Adults measure between 2 and 2.5 metres in length, and their weight varies dramatically throughout the year, with an average weight of 250 to 300 kg. Unusually for seals in the Arctic, females are the largest and can weigh over 425 kg in spring. At birth, pups are approximately 1.3 metres long and weigh around 33 kg.
Bearded seals face predation from polar bears while resting on the ice, and orcas (killer whales) are also predators in the open water seas.
Bearded seals are omnivorous, similar to walruses. Their diet consists mainly of benthic prey, which includes organisms that live on the seafloor. They feed on mussels, shrimp, crabs, cod, and flatfish, using their sensitive whiskers to detect food.
Bearded seals have several distinctive physical features: their bodies are very rectangular in shape; their heads seem small in comparison to their body size; they feature square-shaped front flippers with the longest toe being the middle one and powerful claws; and they have an extremely elaborate, long set of whiskers that tend to curl when dry. These whiskers (or vibrissae) give the species its name. Their thick blubber provides insulation against freezing temperatures, while their robust claws allow them to break through ice to create breathing holes. Their long whiskers are highly sensitive, helping them locate prey in the dark Arctic waters.
The bearded seal's habitat extends across the Arctic Ocean, including Greenland, Svalbard, Alaska, Canada, and Russia.
The nose of a bearded seal has a sensory function thanks to its highly sensitive tactile hairs, which assist in sensing environmental changes. These whiskers can detect the vibrations and movements of prey in dark waters. Additionally, they play a crucial role in prey detection, especially since bearded seals experience very poor visual conditions.
Bearded Seal Fact #1:
Females are larger than males, weighing 425 kg in the spring.
Bearded Seal Fact #2:
Their extremely elaborate, long set of whiskers tend to curl when they are dry.
Bearded Seal Fact #3:
As they age, a bearded seal pup’s facial markings fade, and their belly develops dark spots.
Bearded Seal Fact #4:
Bearded seal noses detect underwater vibrations, helping them detect predators and prey in the Arctic.
Bearded Seal Fact #5:
A baby bearded seal is born with white patches on its cheeks and spots above its eyes, giving it a “teddy bear” or “bandit” appearance.
Bearded Seal Fact #6:
Bearded seals are most commonly seen on ice floes.
Bearded Seal Fact #7:
Bearded seals can dive to depths of almost 500 m.
Bearded Seal Fact #8:
Bearded seal sounds can travel for kilometres underwater!
Bearded Seal Fact #9:
The reproduction season for bearded seals occurs between March and June.
Bearded Seal Fact #10:
The gestation period of bearded seals is approximately 11 months.
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