Mercury exposure in ringed seals (Pusa hispida saimensis) in Lake Saimaa, Finland, and the placenta as a possible non-invasive biomonitoring tool.

The Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is a subspecies of ringed seal, landlocked in Lake Saimaa, Finland. The small population of less than 500 seals is facing many human-induced threats, including chemical contaminants. Mercury, in particular, has previously been suggested to be one of the chemicals affecting the viability of this endangered population.