The ringed seal is the smallest of the Nordic seals and resembles the harbour seal in many ways. It draws its name from dark circular spots surrounded by lighter circles, situated on the seals back.

In March the female gives birth to one pup in a small “snow house” that she digs just beside a hole through the pack ice, which can be up to 2.5 metres thick. The seals use these holes to get food, and they keep them open by biting and scratching the ice. The ringed seal’s main food supply consists of crabs and other small animals.

The ringed seal, which is rare around Iceland, travels alone or in small groups. Usually the travellers are adult males. They make regular appearances in Eyjarfjörður area, expecially around Pollurinn pond in Akureyri, in the spring and early summer.

The ringed seal stock is estimated between 6 – 7 million animals. Special stocks are found in the Baltic, Otkoska and Bering Seas, and Lakes Saima and Ladoga in Finland. Special variations of the ringed seal have developed in the Caspian Sea and Lake Bajkal, those variations are now seporate species (Phoca capica og Phoca sibirica).