SPECTACLED BEAR

... ORDER

~ Carnivora

FAMILY

Ursidae

GROUP 1: MAMMALS

GENUS &: SPECIES

Tremarctos ornatus

The spectacled bear arrived in the Western Hemisphere during the Ice

Age about two million years ago, before any other member of its

family. It is now the only bear found in South America.

~ KEYFACTS __________________________ __

f@ SIZES

~ Length: 4-7 ft. Male usually much

larger than female .

Height: 2-3 ft.

Weight: Male, 285-440 lb.

Female, 130-135 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 2 years.

Gestation: 8-8y'; months.

Litter size: 1-3, usually 2.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Active year-round. Lives

alone or in family groups.

Diet: Mainly plants such as palms,

cacti, and fruit. Also some flesh,

including insects, mammals, and

dead animals.

Lifespan: Up to 36 years in

captivity.

RELATED SPECIES

One of 7 species in the family Ursi­

doe. Other species include the po­

lar bear, Ursus maritimus, and the

sloth bear, U. ursinus.

Range of the spectacled bear.

DISTRIBUTION

Found in a variety of habitats and altitudes in the Andes region

of South America, from Venezuela to Bolivia and Chile.

CONSERVATION

The spectacled bear is considered threatened. All of its habitats

are at risk from human interference and attempts to prohibit

hunting have not been very successful.

FEATURES OF THE SPECTACLED BEAR

Body: Although it is among the smaller

members of its family, the spectacled

bear has a typically heavy body. It has

short, powerful limbs, a short tail,

and a large head. Eyes and ears

are relatively small , and hear-

ing and sight are not as

acute as the keen

sense of smell. The

two sexes differ

widely in weight

and size.

©MCMXCIV IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Coat: Thick. Uniformly black or dark brown,

except for varying amounts of white markings

on the face and chest. The white markings

around the eyes give the bear its name.

for climbing

and foraging .

PRINTED IN U.S.A. US P 6001 12 069 PACKET 69

The spectacled bear gets its name from the distinctive white

markings around its eyes. These markings extend to the

bear's muzzle and chest, providing a sharp contrast to its

dark brown or black coat. The markings vary considerably

between individuals in different parts of the animal's range

and barely appear at all on some spectacled bears.

~ HABITAT

The spectacled bear lives main­

ly in the Andes, at elevations of

5,000 to 6,500 feet. Its range

stretches from Venezuela and

Colombia south to Bolivia and

Chile. Although it prefers the

humidity of rainforests, the bear

also settles in grasslands and

semiarid scrubland.

The relative lack of oxygen at

such high altitudes slows most

animals down. But the specta­

cled bear seems remarkably un­

affected. A hardy, agile climber,

it forages constantly among

the trees.

Right: Small and helpless at birth,

the bear cubs mature slowly.

~ BREEDING

Because the spectacled bear 1947 in a zoo in Argentina.

lives in such remote areas, little After a gestation of eight to

is known about its breeding eight and a half months, the

habits in the wild . Some data female spectacled bear gives

has been gathered, however, birth to one to three young.

and supported by studies of The young stay near the moth-

the bear in captivity. The first er for at least one year before

captive bear to breed did so in leaving to live on their own.

~ SPECTACLED BEAR &: MAN

The spectacled bear has long

been threatened. Forest clear­

ance for lumber has destroyed

sections of its lower mountain

habitat, and the land is now

used for grazing cattle.

Attempts to protect the spec­

tacled bear have not been very

successful. Because of its fre­

quent descents into farmland

and its occasional attacks on

cattle, the bear is hunted by

local people who consider it a

Left: The spectacled bear is an agile

climber, like most of the smaller

members of the family Ursidae.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Local people hunt the spec­

tacled bear for food. Some

parts of the bear's body also

have medicinal and ceremo­

nial uses.

• The French naturalist Baron

Georges Cuvier was the first

to describe the spectacled

threat to livestock. In addition,

the bear is hunted as a source

of food. Its fat is used as cook­

ing oil and as a remedy for rheu­

matism. Its bones are cooked

with milk to produce a highly

nutritious liquid. Even its blood

is thought to possess nutrition­

al properties.

The spectacled bear is also

hunted for its hide. Sales flour­

ish, despite international legis­

lation prohibiting this trade.

Right: The sharp claws on its fore­

paws let the spectacled bear scale a

tree trunk with ease.

bear, after he saw a specimen

from South America in 1825.

• The spectacled bear makes

a nest from the branches of

the trees in which it forages.

Using these branches, it con­

structs a platform on which it

rests during the day.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

The spectacled bear eats main­

ly the leaves, stems, and roots

of plants. It is also fond of fruit.

In the semidesert regions of

Peru, this bear often feeds on

cacti. In the northwestern parts

of its range, it prefers young

palms, crushing their nuts and

leaves in its large, strong jaws.

Left: The spec­

tacled bear is

a good swim­

mer. But unlike

some of its rel­

atives to the

north, this bear

does not feed

on fish.

While it often tears down small

palm trees, it can easily climb

up larger ones when foraging

for food.

The spectacled bear also eats

some flesh, such as insects and

carrion (dead animals). Occa­

sionally it takes live mammals

such as llamas, cattle, and deer.

'" CARD 232 I HANUMAN LANGUR

,,~--------------------------~~~~~~~~ ~

ORDER

Primates

FAMILY

Cercopithecidae

GENUS &; SPECIES

Presby tis en tel/us

The hanuman langur is an agile tree monkey, but it can also

run very quickly on the ground. It moves across the forest floor,

on all fours, using its long tail for balance.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Length: Head and body, 1 ~ -3~ ft.

Tail, 2~-3~ ft. Male is larger than

female.

Weight: Male, 20-45 lb. Female,

15-40 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Female, 3~ years.

Male, 4-5 years but does not mate

until 6-7 years.

Breeding season: Varies, depending

on location.

Gestation: About 6~ months.

No. of young: 1 .

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Day-active, sociable.

Diet: Mainly leaves, flowers, and

fruit. Occasionally insects.

Range of the hanuman langur.

DISTRIBUTION

Found throughout Pakistan, southern Tibet, Nepal, Bangla­

desh, most of India, and Sri Lanka.

Call: Male makes a whooping call to

signal a move to a new feeding area.

Lifespan: 22 years in captivity.

CONSERVATION

In much of its range, the hanuman langur faces few threats.

But in areas where it is not considered sacred, it is frequently

persecuted because it inflicts damage on gardens, orchards,

and fields.

RELATED SPECIES

The genus Presby tis contains 15

species of langur.

FEATURES OF THE HANUMAN LANGUR

Hands: Black

and bare. similar to the feet. Long

fingers and

short thumbs

are adapted to grasping

branches.

Face: Bare and

black. Ruff of bristly white hair

frames face.

Body: Long and slen-

der. Adults have silvery gray and buff fur with

darker coloring on the

chest. In colder parts of

the range, the fur thickens

during the winter months.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Tail: Long and

brownish gray,

with creamy

white tuft. Used

for balance when jumping

between trees.

US P 6001 12068 PACKET 68

The hanuman langur is an adaptable monkey that lives in

a variety of habitats throughout the Indian subcontinent.

It is considered sacred according to Hindu tradition. For

this reason, the hanuman langur is treated with reverence

in much of its range. This animal is sometimes worshipped

and may even be found entering holy temples.

~ HABITS The hanuman langur is very well

suited to living in trees. It can be

found in deciduous forests from

sea level to about 13,000 feet. It

lives in a variety of habitats, from

dry savannas to the snowy Hima­

layas of Nepal.

In parts of its range where it is

considered sacred, this langur

has become bold toward peo­

ple. But in other areas it stays

away from human habitations.

The hanuman langur is active

during the day. It sleeps at night

in hollow tree trunks or beneath

boulders in mountainous areas.

It moves with great agility from

one tree to the next, using its

very long, tufted tail for balance.

This animal may also spend

much of its time on the ground,

where it lopes around easily on

all fours. But the langur is more

nervous on the ground than in

the trees. At any sign of danger

it utters a barking call and then

climbs to safety in the trees.

The hanuman langur lives in a

family troop that usually con­

sists of 20 to 40 langurs led by

an older male. This stable family

unit ranges over a territory of up

to four square miles. To avoid

conflict with other langur troops,

a foraging group advertises its

presence with a whooping call.

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

At dawn the hanuman langur

troop moves swiftly through

the trees, foraging for food.

The langur feeds primarily in

the trees, taking leaves, buds,

shoots, and flowers. But it also

descends to the ground and

gathers fallen fruit or nuts.

The troop stops at a suitable

spot to feed for approximately

half an hour. When the domi­

nant male utters a barking call,

the langurs move off to find a

fresh food source. The troop

rests at midday.

Left: The hanuman langur is not

only nimble in trees and on the

ground, but it can also swim.

DID YOU KNOW? • In parts of India where the

hanuman langur is considered

sacred, Hindus put out food

for the langurs every Tuesday,

I which is the day of the mon­

key god, Hanuman.

• Large troops of hanuman

langurs sometimes raid crops. L-

The hanuman langur copes

with a large diet of tough, of­

ten indigestible food. It can eat

the fruit and seeds of the plant

Strychnos nox-vomica, without

ill effect, even though the plant

produces the poison strychnine.

The hanuman langur also seems

to like ak, a foul-smelling, latex­

bearing plant that most other

animals avoid.

The langur obtains important

minerals by eating soil or lick­

ing stones . It also occasionally

feeds on insects.

Right: The hanuman langur is at

home in the trees, where it finds

most of its food.

Some farmers, not wanting to

harm the monkeys, are said to

have put them on trains to far­

off locations.

• When an adult male takes

over a hanuman langur troop,

he sometimes attacks and kills

the young.

The breeding season of the han­

uman langur varies, depending

on the animal's location. Where

conditions are suitable, it breeds

year-round. Although males are

sexually mature at four or five

years old, they seldom mate for

another two or three years. This

is because the dominant male

prevents them from finding any

mates. He chases the younger

males away from sexually recep­

tive females.

The female is sexually mature

when she is three or four years

Left: The mother or another female

carries the single offspring soon after birth.

Left: Although

the hanuman

langur obtains

moisture most­

ly from plants,

it often lives

near a water

supply, from

which it drinks

regular/y.

old. She attracts the male by

dropping her tail, shaking her

head repeatedly, and beating

the ground with her hand.

After a gestation of about six

and a half months, the female

gives birth to a single offspring,

usually when food is abundant.

The young suckles for up to 10

months. The mother often lets

the troop's other females groom

her and her offspring and even

suckle the infant.

Sometimes the young langur

is reluctant to leave its mother,

even when ready to be weaned.

But it is usually independent at

15 months.

SABLE ANTELOPE

,,~---------------------~ ORDER

~ Artiodactyla

FAMILY

Bovidae

~ GENUS & SPECIES

~ Hippotragu5 niger

" CARD 233 I

The sable antelope grazes in open woodlands in eastern and

southern Africa. The glossy black coat of the male is in striking contrast to the rich reddish brown coat of the female.

"l KEY FACTS

I ~ ~ I SIZES <Si' Length: Head and body, 6-8 ft.

Tail, 15-18 in.

Horns: Up to 3 ft.

Height to shoulder: 3~-4~ ft.

Weight: 440-575 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 2-3 years.

Breeding season: Varies, depend­

ing on location.

Gestation: 8-9 months.

No. of young: 1.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Sociable. Active in early

morning and midafternoon.

Diet: Mainly grass.

Call: Snort or shrill cry when

alarmed.

Lifespan: 19 years in captivity.

RELATED SPECIES

The other species in the genus

Hippotragu5 is the roan antelope,

H. equinu5. The giant sable, H.

niger variani, is a subspecies.

Range of the sable antelope.

DISTRIBUTION

Found in woodland areas of eastern and southern Africa, from

Kenya to South Africa and from Angola to Mozambique.

CONSERVATION

The sable antelope is fairly rare, but numbers are increasing in

areas where hunting is prohibited. A related species, the blue­

buck, became extinct around 1800. The giant sable was re­

duced to 2,000 to 3,000 individuals in the early 1970s.

FEATURES OF THE SABLE ANTELOPE

Horns: Long, pointed, and curved.

Ringed with up to 60 deep grooves.

They grow from the forehead and

curve backward. The antelope

does not shed its horns.

Mane: Stiff long black hairs

run down the neck and onto

the back.

Tail: About 16 inches long, ending in a tuft of thick black hairs. The area

under the tail

is white.

© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Bull: The smooth coat is

glossy black with white on

the underparts and inner 6"/ thighs. The bold facial mark- . ' . ings are also white. . ,

'N. - , r'I,

Calf: Both male and female young are

grayish brown at birth, then become reddish brown. The young bull de­

velops a black coat as he matu res.

PRINTED IN U.S,A.

Cow: Smaller than the bull with

shorter horns.

The coat is a rich

reddish brown color, with the

same white

markings as

the bull.

J 0160200611 PACKET 61

The bull sable antelope is a large animal that has

an especially impressive appearance because of its long,

curved horns, which may be up to three feet long. The

sable is one of the few species of antelope that uses its

horns as weapons. The animal uses its horns to fight

other bulls when defending its territory. It also uses

its horns to fight off predators, including lions.

~ HABITS

The sable antelope is found in

open woodland or nearby grass­

land where the vegetation is

fairly tall. It usually avoids dense

woods and dry savannas. It is

less able to tolerate dry condi­

tions than most antelope and is

never far from water.

Sable antelope form herds of

10 to 20 cows and their calves.

Several herds may graze togeth­

er in groups of 100 or more in­

dividuals. The young bulls form

bachelor herds.

During the mating season a

bull establishes a small breed­

ing territory that he may hold

for two years or more. At other

times he keeps to his own terri-

tory, which he marks by break­

ing branches off bushes and

trees with his horns.

Sable antelope graze peace­

ably with other large mammals.

But because the bulls are terri­

torial, they often fight among

themselves and may be aggres­

sive toward other antelope.

Although it generally flees

from danger, the sable ante­

lope confronts predators if nec­

essary. It has even been known

to fight off lions. If hurt or cor­

nered, the antelope defends

itself fiercely. It lets out a shrill

cry as it charges with its head

lowered and horns pointed at

the enemy.

~ FOOD & FEEDING

Like other members of its fami­

ly, the sable antelope is a rumi­

nant-an animal that chews its

cud. This means that it returns

partially digested food to its

mouth to chew it again .

The sable antelope grazes on

grass in the early morning and

midafternoon. After eating, it

moves to a secluded spot where

it is protected from its enemies

while it chews its cud. A herd of

Left: The ringed horns of the sable

antelope are hollow and formed

around a bony base.

DID YOU KNOW?

• When fleeing from a pre­

dator, the sable antelope can

run at speeds of up to 35

miles per hour.

• The longest sable antelope

horn on record measured

just over four feet.

• The giant sable, which lives

only in Angola, is a rare sub­

species of sable antelope. Its

sable antelope grazes over an

area of 4 to 125 square miles,

depending on the quality of the

grass. Even within this range the

animals are constantly on the

move. In the dry season, when

the grass is poor, the sable ante­

lope may also pick at leaves on

shrubs and bushes. Although

this diet provides some mois­

ture, the sable also needs to

drink water every day.

Right: The antelope grazes in the

open, then retreats to thicker cover

to chew its cud in safety.

body is only slightly lar ~ than the sable's, but its horns

measure five and a half feet.

• The sable antelope belongs

to a subfamily called Hippo­

traginae, meaning "horse-

like antelope."

• Although they resemble

deer, antelope are more

closely related to cattle.

~ BREEDING

The mating season, or rut, of

the sable antelope lasts about

two months. The rut occurs at

different times, depending on

the animal's location. In Kenya,

for example, mating takes place

in June and July. Farther south,

in Zimbabwe, the sable breeds

between May and November.

During the rut a bull controls

a herd of cows. He snorts and

uses violent sweeps of his horns

to drive off other bulls and keep

the cows together.

After a gestation of eig ht or

nine months, the female gives

Left: In the breeding season, cows

and their young are herded togeth­

er by a dominant bull.

left: Unlike

many other

antelope spe­

cies, the sable is

always found

near a water

supply. It drinks

every morning

and evening. In

the heat of the

dry season, it

also drinks in

the middle of

the day.

birth to a single calf. Highly de­

veloped at birth, the calf weighs

25 to 30 pounds. The calfs gray­

ish brown coat already has the

white markings that distinguish

the adult's coat.

The calf is hidden while the

cow grazes with other females

that have given birth . She re­

turns to suckle it once or twice

a day, each time moving it to a

new place to hide it from preda­

tors. The calf stays in hiding for

1 0 to 20 days and then enters a

nursery herd led by one of the

older cows. The calves begin to

graze when they are just one

month old and are fully weaned

at eight months.

'" CARD 234 I AVE-AVE

,,---------------------------------------------~ ~

ORDER

Primates

FAMILY

Daubentoniidae

GENUS &: SPECIES

Daubentonia madagascoriensis

The aye-aye is one of the rarest species of primate in the world.

Only about SO individuals survive in the wild today. They live in

a small area of Madagascar, which is off Africa $ eastern coast.

"'I KEY FACTS

I ~ I SIZES ~ Length: Body, 1-1 ~ ft. Tail, 1 ~-2 ft.

Weight: 4~ lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: 3 years.

Mating season: Variable, but

births often occur in the spring.

Gestation: Unknown.

No. of young: 1 every 2 or 3

years.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Solitary, night-active tree

dweller.

Diet: Insect larvae (especially bee­

tles), seeds, nuts, fruit, vegetable

matter.

Lifespan: Unknown.

RELATED SPECIES

The aye-aye is the only surviving

member of the family Dauben­

toniidae. It is closely related to the

other lemurs, many of which are

also close to extinction.

FEATURES OF THE AYE-AYE

Coat: Coarse and

long . Dark brown to

black with lighter

tinges.

Tail: Longer than

body. Bushy with

gray and black

hairs.

© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM

Range of the aye-aye.

DISTRIBUTION

Restricted to two small, unconnected areas of rainforest on the

coast of Madagascar. Also found in a protected reserve on the

island of Nosy Mangabe, off Madagascar's eastern coast.

CONSERVATION

As few as 50 individuals survive in the wild. The protected

reserve provides the best chance of survival for the species,

which is threatened by hunting and habitat destruction.

Senses: Large

ears provide

good hearing.

Sight and smell

are also keen.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Fingers: Long and clawed.

The thin, bony middle finger

is used in grooming, feeding,

and drinking. This finger can

be manipulated in any direction

because its second joint

is modified to form a ball­

and-socket joint.

0160200581 PACKET 58

When naturalists discovered the aye-aye in

the 18th century, they had trouble deciding exactly

what kind of creature it was. At first, the aye-aye was

considered a member of the squirrel family. Later it was

believed to be a climbing marsupial. In fact, this primitive

primate is actually a highly specialized lemur that is

found only on the island of Madagascar.

~ HABITS

The aye-aye leads a mostly soli­

tary life in the rapidly disappear­

ing rainforest of Madagascar.

Naturalists have a difficult time

studying it in the wild because

it stays well hidden high in the

trees or deep in the dense bam­

boo jungle.

This night-active tree dweller

depends mainly on trees for its

food. Unlike most mammals, it

builds a nest-sometimes two or

more. It spends most of the day

sleeping in the nest, with its long

tail wrapped around its body.

Waking at dusk, the aye-aye

leaps about the branches of its

territory. An excellent climber, it

can hang from branches by its

hind legs, leaving its hands free

for holding food or grooming.

At night the aye-aye comes

down from the safety of the

trees. It scampers across the for­

est floor on all fours, with its tail

raised. It walks on the balls of its

hands because its fingers are so

long that it is unable to walk on

its palms.

The aye-aye uses very little vo­

cal communication. It may grunt

when searching for food or make

a violent sneezing sound when

it is alarmed.

~ FOOD & FEEDING

When searching for beetle lar­

vae, the aye-aye taps its thin,

bony middle finger against tree

bark and listens for sounds with

its large, sensitive ears. A hol­

low echo may indicate that

there is a beetle larva's tunnel

under the bark. After it has lo­

cated its prey, the aye-aye uses

its prominent incisor teeth to

chisel a hole in the bark. Then

it twists its finger inside in order

to scoop out the larva.

The aye-aye uses its powerful

left: The aye-aye feeds in the dark,

so its senses of hearing and sight

are especially keen.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The aye-aye is named for the

sound of its alarm call.

• According to one myth, the

aye-aye makes a grass cushion

for a villager who falls asleep

in the forests of Madagascar.

If the villager wakes to find

the cushion under his head,

he will become wealthy. If the

cushion is under his feet, he

teeth to crack open coconut

shells, giant bamboo, sugar­

cane stalks, nuts, and seeds.

With its middle finger it digs

out pith and pulp from fruit . It

"drinks" coconut milk by dip­

ping its middle finger into the

coconut, then quickly licking

off the milk.

The aye-aye also digs out

larvae buried in fruit pits. It

has even been known to at­

tack the nests of wild bees to

get the honey.

Right: The aye-aye cracks coconuts

with its teeth and digs out the food

with its middle finger.

will fall under an evil s::-l

• In 1966 an attempt was

made to save the endangered

aye-aye by taking 11 individ­

uals to a protected reserve on

the island of Nosy Mangabe,

off the coast of Madagascar.

This reserve represents the

best chance of survival for

the species.

Unlike some lemurs, the aye­

aye is rarely seen in groups or

pairs. This solitary existence

makes mating difficult-one

reason for the rarity of the spe­

cies. A mother is seen with her

young very infrequently.

The aye-aye is one of the few

mammals that builds a nest.

Set high in the fork of a tree,

the nest is about 20 inches in

diameter. It is made from twigs

and rolled-up leaves. The nest

serves as a birthplace and nurs-

left: The female aye-aye probably

weans her single offspring after

one year.

left: The soli­

tary aye-aye

defends its

own territory.

It marks the

boundaries

with urine and

a scent that is

secreted from

special glands.

ery for the young aye-aye.

Apparently, there is no set

breeding season, but births

seem to be timed to take place

at the end of the rainy season,

when food is most plentiful.

A single young is born once

every two or three years.

The aye-aye is the only pri­

mate that has a pair of nipples

on its lower abdomen. The

young suckles for about a year

and then finds other food.

The year-old aye-aye is about

two-thirds the size of its par­

ents. It reaches full maturity

after about three years.

'" CARD 235 I HOODED SEAL

,,~--------------------------------------------~ ~

ORDER

Pinnipedio

FAMILY

Phocidoe

.. GENUS lit SPECIES

~ Cystophoro cristoto

The hooded seal is one of the largest members of the seal family.

The pups have a beautiful bluish gray coat, for which

they are often killed by fur traders.

KEY FACTS

SIZES

Length: Male, 7-1 2 ft. Female, about

7 ft .

Weight: Male, 900 lb. Female, 600 lb.

BREEDING

Sexual maturity: Female, 3 years.

Breeding season: Late March.

Gestation: 1 year.

No. of young: 1.

LIFESTYLE

Habit: Solitary, except during breed­

ing season.

Diet: Fish, squid, and crustaceans.

RELATED SPECIES

The hooded seal is related to other

members of the subfamily Phocinoe,

including the harp seal, Pogophilus

groenlondicus.

Range of the hooded seal.

DISTRIBUTION

Found in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean from Newfound­

land and Baffin Island in the west to Novaya Zemlya in the east.

CONSERVATION

Public pressure and governmental action have reduced the

number of seals killed for their fur. With a population of 250,000

to 400,000, the hooded seal is not in danger of extinction.

FEATURES OF THE HOODED SEAL THE BULL'S HOOD

Habitat: Rests

and breeds on

sturdy, drifting

ice floes. Molts

on pack ice

between

Greenland and

Iceland. -~

Bull: Dark

back and light

gray underside,

covered with

light spots or

dark blotches.

Dark face and

flippers.

Newborn pup:

About 3 feet

Cow: Smaller

and paler than

bull with less

distinct body

markings.

© MCMXCII IMP BV/IMP INC WILDLIFE FACT FILETM PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Deflated: The hood is an enlarged

nasal cavity that normally hangs

down in front of the bull 's mouth,

covering the front of his face.

Inflated: When the bull gets

aroused or angry, he closes his

nostrils and blows air into the

hood to expand it.

0160200501 PACKET 50

The hooded seal lives a solitary life in the deep, icy

waters of the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean.

It gets its name from a covering of loose skin over

the male's nose that he can inflate at will. The male

also has a bright red membrane that he can fill

with air so that it protrudes from one nostril,

looking like a huge bubble gum balloon.

~ YOUKNOW? 1 • Hooded seals have wan-

dered as far south of their

Arctic home as Florida.

• The hooded seal is also

called the bladdernose seal.

• The two sexes seem to

live in different areas out­

side the breeding season.

• Eskimos regard hooded

seal meat as a delicacy.

~ HABITS

The hooded seal rarely appears

on dry land. It swims in deep

water with only the top of its

head breaking the surface. At

times it hauls out to rest on a

thick, drifting ice floe.

The hooded seal is solitary

for much of the year. After the

breeding season in late March,

family group members go their

~ FOOD &: FEEDING

The hooded seal's staple diet is

fish such as cod and herring,

but it also eats squid, octopus,

and plankton. It may be able to

dive down 600 feet for food,

and remains of mussels and

starfish from the seabed have

been found in its stomach. Dur­

ing the molting and breeding

seasons, it does not feed.

separate ways. A large group

may gather again in June and

July, when the seals molt (shed)

their fur on the pack ice be­

tween Greenland and Iceland.

After molting, the seals disperse.

As with other seal species, the

male is larger and heavier than

the female-he can weigh as

much as 900 pounds.

~ BREEDING

Hooded seal pups are born in

late March, when the cows

(females) come out of the

water to give birth on an ice

floe. The birth is strained since

the pup is large, weighing ap­

proximately 45 pounds.

The pup is born with a silvery

blue-gray coat that has earned

it the name of "blue-back." The

mother suckles it for 1 0 to 12

days. Several bulls (males) join

her, but she is aggressive to­

ward them until the suckling

period ends and she comes into

heat (is ready to mate).

As they wait for the cow to

become available, the bulls car­

ry out an aggressive display,

inflating their hoods and bal-

Left: A female hooded seal guards

her pup on the ice in the Gulf of st. Lawrence, Canada.

loons and shaking them from

side to side while emitting a

loud roar. If this behavior does

not establish dominance, the

bulls fight, biting and clawing

at each other until one wins.

After mating takes place, the

female returns to the feeding

[ I ~ ~ l ~ SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS

The hooded seal is named for threat display, but he may also

the adult male's inflatable inflate both while at rest.

hood. This enlargement of the

nasal cavity starts just at eye

level and hangs down in front

of the mouth when it is not

inflated. If the seal is excited,

he closes his nostrils and the

hood inflates to the size of a

I soccer ball.

The adult male can also

blow a red balloon from one

nostril. He closes one nostril

and blows air into the hood .

The side with the closed nos­

tril inflates, causing the elastic

nasal membrane to bulge and

then balloon out through the

open nostril on the other side.

The male usually inflates his

hood or balloon as a mating or

Above: The pup has a short but

sleek coat that is silvery blue on its

back and creamy below.

grounds, and the bull moves on

to fight for another mate. The

pup remains on the ice for an­

other two weeks before taking

to the sea.

Below: The male can inflate his

hood only after his fourth year.