Baikal seal. Endemic to Lake Baikal, it is the only pinniped considered to be fully adapted to freshwater. The body is small, with large eyes suited to visually guided foraging and long claws on the foreflippers used to open breathing holes in the ice. It feeds mainly on fish and amphipods, and is mainly active in shallow waters. The nursing period is long, taking about two months until weaning. Biomagnification of pollutants in the lake water and past mass die-offs are concerns; it is currently assessed as Least Concern.