Seal Pups' Snowy Den

The ringed seal of the Arctic Ocean is the only seal that builds a den. At the onset of winter, a mother seal excavates a lair under the snow. Snug inside during the worst of the weather, she gives birth. She suckles her pup with fat-rich milk for one to two months until it has put on enough blubber to keep it warm in the icy water. A female ringed seal might make several snow caves, and should a hunting polar bear intrude, mother and pup can dive through an escape hole and flee to a safer den.