What is the largest species of seal found in the Arctic?

The bearded seal is the largest species of seal found in the Arctic.

Bearded seals are stocky, broad-bodied animals adapted to life around shallow sea ice and coastal waters. Their long whiskers are highly sensitive and help them detect prey on the seafloor, including clams, shrimp, crabs, and fish. The whiskers explain the species’ common name and are especially conspicuous around the muzzle.

The bearded seal is larger than the ringed seal and harp seal, but it is not the largest pinniped overall. That distinction belongs to the southern elephant seal, which is not an Arctic species. Bearded seals generally use breathing holes and ice edges rather than hauling out in the huge colonies associated with some other seals.