Movements and diving of adult ringed seals (Phoca hispida) in Svalbard

Seven post-moulting adult ringed seals (Phoca hispida) were equipped with S atellite Linked Dive Recorders in Svalbard in July 1996 to determine if rin ged seals conduct long-distance post-moulting feeding excursions, and to ob tain details of their diving behaviour. The mean duration of tags was 206 d ays (range 103-325). Two seals swam 400 km north to the drifting pack ice ( 82 degrees N). The rest undertook more local movements. Forty-eight percent of all dives were shallower than 20 m and 90% were shallower than 100 m. N inety-five percent of all dive durations were shorter than 10 min, and 99.5 % were shorter than 15 min. This study has shown that adult ringed seals un dertake varying patterns of post-moulting excursions.