The hooded seal lives in the coldest
parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the
Arctic Ocean. Its name comes from
the saggy sac of skin on the front
of the male’s face. When the male
feels challenged, the sac inflates. It
forms a big, black balloon on the top
of its head. The balloon flops down
over the slope of the seal’s nose.
A dark pink nose balloon inflates out
of one of its nostrils.
Male seals use these unusual
appendages to attract mates. Each
spring, males inflate their hoods
and nose balloons. They do this to
impress female hooded seals.
Male hooded seals
can inflate a saggy
sac of skin on their
foreheads.
Hooded Seals
Blow Big Balloons
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