Observations of a free-ranging adult female Saimaa ringed seal carrying a dead pup

Abstract

Epimeletic behavior toward dead offspring or conspecifics has seldom been observed in pinnipeds. Here we report a free-ranging adult female Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa saimensis) carrying a dead lanugo pup. Behavior data were collected in an artificial nest box by camera traps between mid-September 2024 and the end of April 2025 in Lake Saimaa, Finland. Based on the image data, the nest was used by one adult male and one adult female seal during the study season. The presumed mother seal supported the newborn pup’s body for at least seven days over a week during the nursing season in April. Records on Saimaa ringed seal carrying a deceased infant are a novel addition to the knowledge of epimeletic behaviors in pinnipeds, as such behavior in marine mammals has primarily been documented mostly in highly social cetaceans, making this also the first known case in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in general. The use of remote cameras together with Photo-ID offers promising avenues for future research to deepen insights into pinniped behavioral ecology.