Ice Seal Tracking Maps Archive

During the last 10 days we have received locations for 4 bearded, 2 ringed, and 7 spotted seals. Nine of 12 seals are located in the Bering Sea. Five of the seven spotted seals are located within the marginal ice zone (<80% ice concentration); the remaining two are within roughly 20 miles (35 km) of the ice. Of note, ringed seal RS17-02-M (yellow arrow) had been making localized movements near the mouth of the Yukon River since roughly 1 November but during the last week has moved north to an area west of Nome. One bearded (BS17-04-F, green square) and one ringed seal (RS17-01-M, red arrow) remain in Kotzebue Sound. Bearded seal BS17-01-F (purple square) continues to make short movements parallel to the coastline near Utqiaġvik. Sea ice data are courtesy of the U.S. National Ice Center, dated 16 January (http://www.natice.noaa.gov/products/daily_products.html).