? Saimaa Ringed Seal Conservation status: Critical
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Phocidae Genus: Phoca Species: P. hispida
Binomial name
Phoca hispida (Schreber, 1775)

Saimaa Ringed Seals (Phoca hispida saimensis, norppa in Finnish) are a subspecies of Ringed Seal (Phoca hispida) . They are among the most endangered seals in the world, having a total population of only aboout 270 individuals. The only existing population of these seals is found in the Lake Saimaa, Finland (hence the name). Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (rhombozoans) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Eutheria (includes extinct ancestors)/Placentalia (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata (extinct) Perissodactyla Pholidota Plesiadapiformes... Families Ailuridae Amphicyonidae† Canidae Felidae Herpestidae Hyaenidae Mephitidae Miacidae† Mustelidae Nandiniidae Nimravidae† Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Procyonidae Ursidae Viverravidae† Viverridae The diverse order Carnivora pronounced: (from Latin caro flesh, + vorare to devour) includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Genera Monachus (Monk Seals) Mirounga (Elephant Seal) Lobodon (Crabeater Seals) Leptonychotes Hydrurga (Leopard Seals) Ommatophoca Erignathus (Bearded Seals) Phoca Halichoerus (Gray Seals) Cystophora (Hooded Seals) The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal suborder, Pinnipedia. ... Species Phoca caspica(Caspian Seal) Phoca fasciata(Ribbon Seal) Phoca groenlandica(Harp Seal) Phoca hispida(Ringed Seal) Phoca largha(Spotted Seal) Phoca sibirica(Nerpaor Baikal Seal) Phoca vitulina(Common Seal) Phoca is a genus of the earless seals, within the Family Phocidae. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber (1739 - 1810) was a German naturalist. ... 1775 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1192x627, 42 KB) Licensing Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... A Picture of Saimaa Saimaa, or Saimen in Swedish, is a lake in southeastern Finland. ...

Appearance

An adult saimaa ringed seal is between 85 and 160 cm in length and weighs between 40 and 90 kg; males usually being larger than females. They are coloured dark gray, with a gray-black dorsal with circular white rings. The bottom is light gray. The saimaa ringed seal is darker in color than other ringed seals.

Reproduction

Saimaa ringed seals become mature between the ages of 3 and 7. Their pregnancy rate is between 80 and 95 percent. Ringed seals' gestation lasts between 10 and 11 months. Their pups are between 55 and 65 cm, and 4 to 5 kg at birth. The saimaa ringed seals' longetivity is 40 years. With the current population level, between 18 and 26 pups are born every year.

Conservation

The Saimaa ringed seal has been protected singe 1955. In 1983, the population was between 100 and 150 seals. In 2005, it is about 270. It is thought that the immediate threat of extinction would be alleviated if the population grew to over 400 individuals.

In order to protect the Saimaa ringed seal, fisheries have been banned from their living areas. Also, it is forbidden for unauthorised people to go to the islands where these seals live.

The Saimaa ringed seal lives nowadays mainly in two Finnish national parks, Kolovesi and Linnansaari Kolovesi National Park (Koloveden kansallispuisto) is a national park in Eastern Finland. ... Linnansaari National Park (Linnansaaren kansallispuisto) is a national park in Eastern Finland. ...

See also

• Ringed Seal
• Pinniped
• Saimaa

Binomial name Phoca hispida (Schreber, 1775) The Ringed Seal is an earless seal inhabiting the Arctic coasts. ... Families Odobenidae Otariidae Phocidae Pinnipeds (fin-feet, lit. ... A Picture of a canal in Saimaa Saimaa, or Saimen in Swedish, is a lake in southeastern Finland. ...

References

• Ringed Seals
• Virtual Finland - Saimaa Ringed Seal
• Saimaa Ringed Seal, by Metsähallitus