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What Do Ringed & Bearded Seals Eat?

Both ringed seals and bearded seals make their hunting grounds in cold polar waters, where they find a variety of fish and shellfish to eat. Both species also rely on their mothers' milk as pups until they learn how to hunt.

Diet
- Bearded seals eat squid, crabs, shrimp, clams and a variety of small fish, though they may also consume other prey if available, according to the Norwegian Polar Institute. Ringed seals eat creatures common to icy waters, including polar cod and crustaceans known as ice amphipods.
Hunting Grounds
- Bearded seals find most of their food supply on the ocean floor at depths of 200 to 300 meters, digging with their whiskers into sediment and applying jets of water to dislodge prey. Ringed seals also dive for prey, breaking holes in the ice for use in breathing, according to the Alaska Department of Fish &Game.
Baby Seals
- As mammals, baby ringed seals and bearded seals both begin life nourished by their mothers' milk. The lactation period for bearded seals tends to last about three weeks, while ringed seal pups may take up to two months to become fully weaned.

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