Abstract
A bstract Dives of five freely diving ringed seals were classified into three‐dimentional movement types. Horizontally convoluted dives, defined as dives with angular velocity > 15°/sec, appeared to be foraging or social dives. Simple dives that did not include convoluted movements (angular velocity 0.6, on a scale of 0–1) were presumed to be travel dives. Each three‐dimensional dive type was observed with similar frequency in dives with two distinct time‐depth profiles: V‐shaped profiles in which ascent immediately followed descent, and U‐shaped profiles in which >7 sec were spent at depth between descent and ascent. The lack of behavioral differences between dives with distinct time‐depth profiles suggested that time‐depth profiles are not a reliable means of inferring dive behaviors for ringed seals.