HOODED SEAL

also called Bladdernose Seal (Cystophora cristata), dark-faced seal of the family Phocidae, found in open waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is characterized by a large hood on the top of the snout. Grayish with either light or dark blotches (less distinct in the female), the hooded seal is gregarious and apparently feeds mainly on fish. The adult male may be about 3.5 metres (12 feet) long and weigh 400 kilograms (880 pounds); the female is smaller. Because of overhunting, the hooded seal is no longer numerous enough to be of much commercial importance. It is frequently found living near the harp seal.