Scientific name:
Cystophora cristata

Natural spread:
arctic regions

the folding-cap considering one of the subfamily of the actual seals distinguishes itself through a blow-shaped structure, the so-called "cap", that is stretched as far as to the nose-opening by the forehead for itself and is increased strongly in arousal, so that the head-scope grows with the males on the double. Likewise, the elastic nose-partition can be out-blown by the closing a nostril by the other nostril balloon-nicely. With the females, this cap remains very much smaller as the females don't gain the dimensionses of the bulls also in the remaining. These become up to 3,80 m long and over 400 kg heavy. The coloring of the animals is blue - until dark-gray with irregular Fleckung.

Way of life and reproduction Folding-caps live in the waters around the North-pole and always are in immediate water-proximity, if they enter the pack-ice once. This happens at the reproductive-time end of March until beginning April. The boys lose its white infant-fur already in the womb or directly after the birth and change it against a bluish youth-dress ("blue-men") for been looked by seal-clubs. Already very early, the boys are capable to escape into the water. Approximately 3 weeks, they live exclusively on the mother's milk.

After 1-3 weeks, the combination of the parents-animals starts under loud roar of the bulls. Shortly goes the animals again for itself after it into the open water in order to hunt after codfishes, flounders and squids particularly in deep water-layers.

In June finally, the folding-caps appear on the Treibeis of the Denmark-street in order to go through the hair-change. Since they don't eat any food during this time, the animals lose a lot of weight very strongly. If this time is survived, the dog-seals scatter in the northern seas and often undertake stretches, until now not yet cleared up hikes.

Continuance An acute threat is not to be determined at the moment, however individual continuances could be endangered by Bejagung.