Ringed Sealワモンアザラシ
Pusa hispidaLC— Least Concern
The ringed seal is the smallest and one of the most abundant seals in the Arctic, ranging across circumpolar sea ice from the Bering Sea to the Baltic. It uses thick, sharp foreclaws to maintain breathing holes through ice up to 1.8 meters thick and builds snow lairs on the ice to shelter its pups. Two isolated freshwater subspecies, the Saimaa and Ladoga seals, survive in landlocked lakes in Finland and Russia. Listed as Least Concern overall, it nonetheless faces mounting pressure from sea-ice loss driven by climate change.
Ringed Seal (reference photo)
Species Data
Did You Know?
- Despite being the smallest of all seal species, the ringed seal is thought to be the second most abundant seal in the world. Source
- Their foreclaws, more than 2.5 cm thick, are used to create and maintain breathing holes through ice sheets as thick as 6 feet (about 1.8 m). Source
- Two landlocked freshwater subspecies, the Saimaa seal and the Ladoga seal, survive in isolated lakes in Finland and Russia; the Saimaa seal numbered only about 500 individuals as of late 2024. Source
Where to See This Species
3 facilities · 0 individuals
How to tell Sea Lions, Seals, Fur Seals, and Walruses apart →Osaka Aquarium KaiyukanOsakaOpened in 1990
海遊館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source
Kamogawa Sea WorldChiba東京駅から特急わかしおで約2時間、JR「安房鴨川」駅下車後、無料送迎バス（西口バス停発）で約10分。
鴨川シーワールドのWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source
小樽水族館 (Otaru Suizokukan)HokkaidoOpened in 1958
小樽水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source
Source links to official sites, official YouTube channels, and news aggregators such as Zoo Ring. Visit the publisher for the full item.
Conservation Story
Conservation Status
IUCNではLC（低懸念）です。海氷に依存するため、北極の環境変化が重要な課題です。
Habitat
北極海、ベーリング海、バルト海などの海氷域。
Threats
- 海氷の減少
- 海洋汚染
- 漁網への混獲
Conservation & Breeding Efforts
- 海氷域の長期観測
- 個体群と繁殖状況の調査
- 気候変動の影響を伝える教育展示
Sources
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FAQ
- How do ringed seals breathe under sea ice?
- They use thick foreclaws, more than 2.5 cm long, to scratch and maintain breathing holes through ice sheets up to about 1.8 meters (6 feet) thick. Source
- What is the smallest seal species?
- The ringed seal is the smallest seal species, averaging around 1.5 meters in length and 50–70 kg in weight, yet it is also one of the most numerous seals in the world. Source
- Are there freshwater ringed seals?
- Yes. Two landlocked subspecies, the Saimaa seal in Finland and the Ladoga seal in Russia, became isolated in freshwater lakes after the last ice age. The Saimaa seal population numbered only about 500 individuals as of late 2024. Source
Source: ja.wikipedia.org