Seals are pinniped vertebrates, that is, mammals adapted to marine life, so they spend most of their lives in an aquatic environment. They belong to the Phocidae family and are known as true seals, since they can often be confused with lions or sea lions, species that belong to another family (Otariidae). True seals are distinguished from otariids by the absence of a visible external pinna, males have internal testicles, are generally larger, and are unable to drag their hind limbs under their body when on land. All the species that make up this family, which are 19, share unique characteristics that are linked to their marine life. Its body is elongated and its extremities are flattened and wide and act as fins, since they are adapted for swimming. Seals are carnivorous and feed on a wide variety of marine animals, some species being more specialized and specific than others when it comes to choosing their food.
Another of their anatomical characteristics is the presence of a large layer of body fat under the skin that allows them to survive the cold temperatures of the places where they live. Have you ever wondered where seals live? If so, in this article on our site we will tell you about the habitat of seals and their distribution.
Seal Habitat
Seals are animals adapted to marine life and extreme temperatures, and in order to survive in this type of environment they need a large layer of subcutaneous fat that allows them to maintain body heat, since they have little or almost no hair, unlike otariids, which have a thick layer of fur that protects them.
Seals inhabit almost all of the world's oceans, except for the Indian Ocean. Many of the species live and breed in areas of ocean ice and others on land, while some can breed in both environments.
They are almost always associated with cold regions, where temperatures are extreme and ice and snow dominate the environment. They spend most of their lives in the water, although every year they need land or ice to reproduce and to rest, which they generally do in coastal and rocky areas or on beaches. Likewise, some species prefer areas that are not very deep and where the tides bring large quantities of food.
Although these animals are not migratory, they are capable of moving if the environmental conditions are not optimal, either by contamination of the water or lack of food.
Seal Distribution
We already know the habitats of these animals, but where exactly do seals live? At the north or south pole? As we mentioned, seals inhabit practically all the world's seas and can be divided into northern hemisphere seals and southern hemisphere seals These animals are marine, however, the former have colonized freshwater areas, as is the case of the spotted seal (Phoca vitulina mellonae), which can inhabit freshwater lakes in Quebec, or the nerpa (Pusa sibirica), which lives its entire life in the waters sweets from Lake Baikal in Russia.
Northern Hemisphere Seals
Northern hemisphere seals are common in the Glacial Arctic, North Pacific, Caspian and B altic Seas, in Siberia, in warmer areas such as the Gulf of Mexico (Caribbean Sea) and in areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Although they are natural inhabitants of these regions, it is increasingly common to observe specimens outside their distribution range and some of the causes are the lack of food and the retreat of the ice that is part of their environment, all due to climate change..
Next, we name the species that are part of this group and mention exactly where these seals live:
- Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) - North Atlantic Ocean
- Harpland Seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) - North Atlantic Ocean
- Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) - Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and Arctic regions
- Spotted seal (Phoca largha) - North Pacific and Chukchi Sea
- Caspian Seal (Pusa caspica) - Caspian Sea
- Ringled Seal (Pusa hispida) - Arctic Regions and B altic Sea
- Helmet Seal (Cystophora cristata) - North Atlantic Ocean
- Bearded Seal (Erignathus barbatus) - Arctic
- Nerpa (Pusa sibirica) - Lake Baikal and Siberia
- Elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) - North Pacific Ocean
- Striped Seal (Histriophoca fasciata) - Chukchi, Bering and Okhotsk Seas
- Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) - Hawaiian Islands
- Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) - Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and northwest coast of Africa
- Caribbean monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) - Caribbean Sea (Gulf of Mexico area)
Southern Hemisphere Seals
On the other hand, the seals that are present in the southern hemisphere inhabit southern South America, in subantarctic and antarctic zones. As with northern species, southern seals face the same threats, as many are forced to move or migrate to other regions.
These are the species that form part of this group and their distribution:
- Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) - Subantarctica, Antarctica, southern South America
- Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)- Antarctica
- Ross Seal (Ommatophoca rossi)- Antarctica
- Leopard Seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)- Antarctica
- Crabeater Seal (Lobodon carcinophagus)- Antarctica
Where do polar seals live?
As we have seen, there are species of seals in both the northern and southern hemispheres and polar seals, as their name suggests, are exclusive inhabitants of the Arctic and Antarctica These species, inhabitants of regions with environmental conditions as extreme as cold, ice and snow throughout the year, with little or no vegetation and often little food, are found adapted to survive in this type of habitat. To do this, they have a very thick layer of fat that they have under their skin and that often represents up to a quarter of their body weight. In fact, it should be noted that the body size, in general, is larger in the seals that live in the poles compared to those that inhabit other latitudes.
Their body shape is elongated and their fin-like limbs allow them to move easily in the water, as they are excellent swimmersThis makes it easier for them to search for food in these areas, which are often poor in food on the surface, but abundant in the water. Likewise, it allows them to escape from predators.
On the other hand, seals' breast milk is high in calories compared to other animals. Thanks to this, their young can survive long periods of time without feeding while the mother looks for her food. In addition, they are born with white fur that allows them to camouflage themselves from predators in an environment dominated by snow and ice.
Although all species are similar, each group has adaptations depending on whether it lives at the North Pole or the South Pole, since which will also depend on the type of predator they face and the food available in each region. If you want to know more details about the adaptation of the polar seals, do not miss this other article: "Adaptation of the polar seal".
