This is “nannook” of the frozen north. Its home is on the ice or on the shore near the ice.
A totally Arctic animal, it is at home all around the North Pole—in Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Russia, and Norway.
In the very early days of exploration on this continent, they sometimes were spotted in Newfoundland—and even as far south as Cape Breton.
The mature male is a huge animal. He may weigh in at 1,200 pounds or more and stand five feet or more at the shoulder. When he stands upright, he may be 11-plus feet.
The female is about half that size.