Gray Seal

Gray Seal

Grey seal, Atlantic grey seal, Atlantic gray seal, Horsehead seal

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Clade
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Halichoerus grypus
Population size
632,000
Life Span
25-35 years
Top speed
10
6
km/hmph
km/h mph 
Weight
100-310
220-682
kglbs
kg lbs 
Length
1.6-3.3
5.2-10.8
mft
m ft 

The Gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or "earless seals". Its name is spelled Gray seal in the US; it is also known as Atlantic seal and the horsehead seal.

Appearance

The Gray seal is distinguished from the smaller Harbor seal by its straight head profile, nostrils set well apart, and fewer spots on its body. Wintering hooded seals can be confused with grey seals as they are about the same size and somewhat share a large-nosed look but the hooded has a paler base colour and usually evidences a stronger spotting. Gray seals lack external ear flaps and characteristically have large snouts. Male grays have larger noses and a less curved profile than harbor seal bulls. Males are generally darker than females, with lighter patches and often scarring around the neck. Females are silver-grey to brown with dark patches.

Video

Distribution

Geography

Gray seals live on both coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean, in three separate populations: the western Atlantic group is found around the coast of Canada at north Labrador down as far as New England. Those of the eastern Atlantic population are found around the United Kingdom and Irish coasts and those of northwestern Russia as far north as the White Sea. There is a Baltic population in the Baltic Sea. These seals spend the majority of their lives in coastal waters; when on land, they occur on rocky coasts, islands, and sandbars, as well as on ice shelves and icebergs.

Gray Seal habitat map

Climate zones

Gray Seal habitat map
Gray Seal
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Habits and Lifestyle

Gray seals are diurnal animals, being active during the day and sleeping at night. They gather in large groups for mating, popping, and molting. They do not eat during the breeding period, drawing from their blubber for nutrition. They also gather together in small groups on land to rest. When foraging, however, they dive alone or with a small group. A behavior that is commonly seen is ‘bottling’ when the seal is in a vertical position in the water with only its head up above the surface. Gray seals can be quite curious about humans and boats and will approach vessels and divers. Care must be exercised when observing seals on land as they may be aggressive, particularly during the breeding season. These seals do not migrate but they disperse widely after the mating season.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Gray seals are carnivores (piscivores). They feed on a wide variety of fish, mostly benthic or demersal species, taken at depths down to 70 m (230 ft) or more. Sand eels are important in their diet in many localities. Cod and other gadids, flatfish, herring, wrasse, and skates are also important locally. However, Gray seals will eat whatever is available, including octopus and lobsters.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
mid-December-October
PREGNANCY DURATION
11 months
BABY CARRYING
1 pup
INDEPENDENT AGE
3 weeks
FEMALE NAME
cow
MALE NAME
bull
BABY NAME
pup

Gray seals tend to be polygynous, with males in competition to mate. Successful males mate with between 2 and 10 females, but in areas such as ice or sand where females are not so close together, one male will often mate with just one female. The mating season of the gray seal occurs from mid-December until October, depending upon where the population is located. After a gestation of 11 months, females bear one pup the day after coming to shore at the rookery. Pups are nursed for 3 weeks and will remain on land until molting has taken place, living off its reserves of blubber, and then it will feed out at sea. The young generally disperse in different directions from their rookery and can wander distances of more than 1,000 km. A female gray seal is ready to breed when it is about 4 years old, while males are ready between 3 and 8 years old.

Population

Population threats

Gray seals can be legally shot as pests, as many fishermen believe that they provide competition for fish, posing a threat to stocks of fish and that they also damage traps and nets. Illegal shooting also takes place. They are also threatened by chemical and oil pollution and often become entangled in fishing nets, which can be fatal.

Population number

According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Gray seal is about 632,000 individuals or about 316,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are increasing.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • Typically making dives as deep as 70 meters when foraging, Gray seals can also go to depths of about 300 meters.
  • Mother and baby seals form a strong bond at birth. A mother recognizes her pup by its call and scent. During its first few weeks of life, the mother feeds it about 6 times per day, up to 10 minutes each time.
  • Gray seals have webbed flippers. The strong rear flippers propel them through the water, and they use their tail to steer.
  • These seals can stay underwater for as long as 16 minutes. They are unable to breathe underwater but can stay under for this amount of time by slowing their heartbeat to conserve oxygen.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Gray Seal Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_seal
2. Gray Seal on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/9660/0

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