The bearded seal is circumpolar in its distribution in arctic and subarctic waters. There are two recognised subspecies of bearded seal. The E. barbatus nauticus subspecies inhabits the remainder of the Arctic Ocean, as well as the Bering and Okhotsk Seas, being found as far south as Hokkaido. Natural History Bearded seals are solitary and inhabit areas of relatively shallow water and moving ice. If ice is not available they will haul out on land and gravel beaches.
Bearded seals have a large, body with a disproportionately small head and square fore flippers.
The coat varies from silver, blue-grey to chocolate brown above, with white or cream coloured patches. Males reach sexual maturity between 6 and 7 years, females between 3 and 6. They have a brown or greyish lanugo with white patches on the face, and are able to enter the water within hours. Nursing lasts for 18-24 days. Diet varies with location and age of the animal, and includes crabs, shrimps, clams, whelks, polychaetes, squit, octopuses, and a variety of fish, including Arctic and sasffron cod, flounders, and sculpins.