New Species of Seal Discovered in the Arctic by Scientists

In the frigid waters near Ilulissat, local hunters have long been acquainted with a distinctive variety of ringed seal, aptly named the Kangia seal. Marked by its substantial size and striking fur color and pattern, the Kangia seal stands out in stark contrast to its more commonplace Arctic ringed seal counterparts. Recent scientific investigations have unveiled that this unique seal has been genetically isolated from its Arctic brethren for an extensive period, spanning over 100,000 years.

Exploring the Arctic’s natural marvels is no simple task. Harsh weather conditions and vast expanses often pose formidable challenges to researchers in their pursuit of uncovering the mysteries of nature.

Nonetheless, a collaborative research endeavor, led by Greenlandic and Danish scientists, has achieved a groundbreaking revelation—a new species of ringed seal dwelling in the Icefjord near Ilulissat in West Greenland, an area of unparalleled natural significance enshrined on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

These groundbreaking findings have recently been disseminated in the prestigious scientific journal Molecular Ecology.

A Modest Population

Over several years, the researchers, in collaboration with local hunters, employed nets to capture seals and affixed compact satellite transmitters onto the seals’ dorsal regions. When these seals surfaced for air, the satellite transmitters dutifully relayed their precise locations.

“We observed that Kangia seals predominantly inhabit the confines of the Icefjord. Through aerial surveys, we were able to estimate their population at approximately 3,000 of these distinct Kangia ringed seals,” reveals Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Senior Researcher at the Pinngortitaleriffik – Greenland Institute of Nature, and one of the leading investigators involved in the study.

Genetic Distinctions

In addition to tracking, the researchers extracted minute tissue samples from the captured seals. These samples were then subjected to genetic analysis to unveil the DNA profiles of the seals. The results were unequivocal—the Kangia ringed seals possess genetic disparities compared to their conventional Arctic ringed seal counterparts.

Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding the Kangia ringed seal’s isolation from its fellow Arctic ringed seals and the origin of its distinct biological attributes remain shrouded in mystery.

Potential for Other Special Seals

This study underscores the vast extent of our ignorance concerning the biodiversity of Arctic organisms and their capacity to adapt to climate shifts and human intervention.

Rune Dietz, Professor at the Department of Ecoscience at Aarhus University, who also participated in the research, remarks, “Many other fjords in the Arctic remain unexplored, offering the possibility of discovering locally evolved genetic variants among ringed seals.”

Reference: “An evolutionarily distinct ringed seal in the Ilulissat Icefjord” by Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Ari Löytynoja, Paolo Momigliano, Rikke Guldborg Hansen, Camilla Hjorth Scharff-Olsen, Mia Valtonen, Juhana Kammonen, Rune Dietz, Frank Farsø Rigét, Steve H. Ferguson, Christian Lydersen, Kit M. Kovacs, David M. Holland, Jukka Jernvall, Petri Auvinen, and Morten Tange Olsen, 19 October 2023, Molecular Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/mec.17163

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More about Arctic Ringed Seal Discovery

• Molecular Ecology: An evolutionarily distinct ringed seal in the Ilulissat Icefjord
• Greenland Nature Institute