Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Phocidae
- Genus
- Pusa
- Species
- Pusa hispida
Habitat
This subspecies is endemic to Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland, inhabiting freshwater environments with seasonal ice cover. They prefer shallow, rocky areas for breeding and resting, and are adapted to both ice-bound winters and open water summers.
Diet
Saimaa ringed seals primarily eat fish such as vendace, perch, and pike, which they hunt underwater using their sensitive whiskers. Feeding occurs mainly at dawn and dusk, and they dive to depths of up to 50 meters to catch prey.
Behavior
Saimaa ringed seals are mostly solitary, spending much of their time swimming or hauled out on ice to rest and regulate body temperature. They are active year-round, creating and maintaining breathing holes in the ice during winter, and exhibit territorial behavior around these holes and breeding sites.
Conservation Status
The IUCN classifies the Saimaa ringed seal as Critically Endangered, with a population that has been slowly increasing due to conservation efforts, but major threats include climate change reducing ice cover and bycatch in fishing gear.