Photo by @nickcobbing from an expedition on Svalbard this summer. This male bearded seal was relaxing on a piece of glacial ice in a fjord. As with all the ice dependent Arctic seals, bearded seals are facing new challenges. Sea ice has been declining in the fjords around the Arctic archipelago, where I photographed this one. The bearded seal’s future is also linked to the polar bears of Svalbard. Bearded seals are the most important food source for polar bears that have remained in shore rather than going out onto the sea ice to hunt. by natgeo

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