Wildlife
Grey seals are the largest breeding seals found in the UK. Half of the world's population of grey seals are found around British coasts, and numbers here have doubled since 1960. In the autumn, females congregate at traditional pupping sites called rookeries. Pups weigh 14 kilograms at birth, but since their mother's milk contains 60% fat, they quickly balloon and develop the blubber layer essential for maintaining body temperature out at sea. When feeding, these seals can dive to a depth of 70 metres.
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Walney Island seals
Ellie visits an exclusive winter gentlemen’s club: a colony of male grey seals.
Ellie visits an exclusive winter gentlemen’s club: a colony of male grey seals on the beaches of Walney Island.
Flippering brilliant!
Snorkelling with seals is definitely something to do before you die.
Snorkelling with seals is definitely something to do before you die.
Secret seals
Presenter Richard Taylor-Jones tracks down a secret seal colony on the Kent coast.
Presenter Richard Taylor-Jones tracks down a secret seal colony on the Kent coast.
Common or harbour?
Orkney means 'seal island' - for good reason.
Orkney means 'seal island' - for good reason.
Seal watching
British heavyweights are spotted off the Norfolk coast.
British heavyweights are spotted off the Norfolk coast.
The Grey seal can be found in a number of locations including: Europe, North America, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Grey seal distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Population trend: Increasing
Year assessed: 2008
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus, meaning "hooked-nosed sea pig") is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus. Its name is spelled gray seal in the US; it is also known as Atlantic grey seal and the horsehead seal.
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Brackish water
Coastal
Estuaries
Intertidal zone
Shallow seas
Polar
Adapted to swimming
Carnivorous
Colonial
Acoustic communication
Maternal care
Monogamous
Moulting
Nomadic
Polygynous
Polymorphism
Predator
Sexual dimorphism
Viviparous