Life History
Females reach sexual maturity at 4 years while males do not reach maturity until 7 years old. During the spring breeding season, females construct lairs within the thick ice and give birth in these structures. Females give birth to a single pup on ice floes or shorefast ice in March or April after a 9 month gestation period. Pups are weaned after one month and build up a thick layer of blubber.
Females usually begin mating in late April. Males will roam the ice for a mate. When found, the male and female may spend several days together before mating. Then the male looks for another mate.
Ringed seals live about 25 to 30 years. They are solitary animals and when hauled out on ice separate themselves from each other by hundreds of yards.
Read more about this topic: Ringed Seal
Famous quotes containing the words life and/or history:
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