ribbon seal

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ribbon seal

mammal

Also known as: Histriophoca fasciata

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

ribbon seal, (Histriophoca fasciata), earless seal of the family Phocidae found in the North Pacific and the Bering Sea. The male, growing to about 1.7 m (5.6 feet) in length and 95 kg (210 pounds) in weight, is dark brown with broad, yellowish, ribbonlike markings. The smaller female and the young are paler, and the bands are less conspicuous. The ribbon seal lives alone or in small groups and feeds on fish, squid, and other marine animals. It is valued for its hide by Eskimos and is taken, though not in large numbers, by Japanese sealers.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.