Seals live in a wide range of coastal and marine habitats around the world, from Arctic and Antarctic waters to temperate coasts, and some species venture into freshwater or migrate between ocean basins. The specifics depend on the species, but most seals spend the majority of their lives in the ocean and come ashore only for breeding, pupping, or molting. Key points

• Global distribution: Seals are found on every continent except Australia’s interior, with many species concentrated in the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and around the Southern Ocean. Some species have very restricted ranges (e.g., Hawaiian monk seal) while others are broadly distributed (e.g., crabeater seal) [general zoology sources].
• Marine habit: Most seals live in saltwater environments and rely on the ocean for feeding. They typically haul out on beaches, rocky coasts, sea ice, or islands for rest, breeding, and nursing pups [training-based ecological sources].
• Land or ice time: Seals often return to land or sea ice seasonally for mating and giving birth, then spend extended periods at sea feeding, before repeating the cycle [marine mammal biology references].
• Freshwater exceptions: A few seals inhabit freshwater or brackish systems (notably the Baikal seal in Lake Baikal), but these are relatively rare among pinnipeds [pinniped distribution references].

Practical takeaways

• If you’re looking for a specific species, tell me which seal (e.g., harbor seal, elephant seal, monk seal) and I can give a concise, location-based brief.
• For travel or wildlife watching, shore-based rookeries and coastal haul-out sites are the most reliable places to observe seals, with seasonal patterns (breeding in some seasons, molting in others) varying by species [wildlife guides].