One of the commonest seals, ringed seals live in the Arctic seas, though an isolated population also lives in the Baltic Sea. They are the smallest species of seal, about 130 cm in length and weigh about 70 kg. The colour of their skin is light to dark grey with dark spots ringed with white. Their diet varies widely, but mainly consists of small cod and crustaceans. Ringed seals mate on ice. The pups are born from mid-March to mid-April. The mother makes a den or lair under the snow to protect the pups from bad weather or possible attacks by polar bears.
At birth, the young pups have a long white coat which is later replaced by dark fur.