13 January 2026: A new study on the spatial overlap among different seal species in Svalbard

A study by Mikkelsen and colleagues, titled “Spatial overlap among harbour, ringed and bearded seals in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, during the post-moulting foraging period”, was published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series (MEPS), in October 2025.

The Arctic is highly impacted by global warming, with temperatures increasing at four times the global average. The Svalbard archipelago is a climate hotspot, even in an Arctic context, and is experiencing rapid sea ice loss, significant ocean warming, accelerated glacier melting, and ecosystem changes. Such rapid changes can significantly affect the ecology of the local species.

The authors investigated the space use patterns of two Arctic endemic seals living in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: ringed seals (Pusa hispida), bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina). The latter recently became resident in Kongsfjorden due to continued climate warming. Using GPS tracking and dive data, Mikkelsen and colleagues determined that harbour seals overlapped 55.8% of ringed seals’ and 69.5% of bearded seals’ main diving areas. However, they also identified habitat and different behaviours between the species.

The study suggests that these three species are currently not in direct competition, but continued warming will likely favour the expansion of the mild-climate harbour seal at the expense of Arctic seals.

You can read the full article by Mikkelsen et al., HERE

Photo credit: Christian Lydersen.