Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
Grey seals are the largest breeding seal found in the UK. Half of the world's population of grey seals are found on and around British coasts, and numbers here have doubled since 1960.
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Seal blubber 
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Fisherman allowed to shoot seals
Some fishermen off the coast of Northumbria have been given permission to take drastic action against grey seals because they are eating their fish stocks.
About the Grey seal
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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Scientific Classification
Family: Earless seal (Phocidae)
Genus: Halichoerus
Species: Gray Seal (grypus)
Common Names
- Atlantic grey seal
- Horsehead seal
The Grey seal is
Adaptation data provided by Animal Diversity Web
Where can I see them?
They can be found in the following habitats:
Conservation Status
The Grey seal is Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
- EX - Extinct
- EW
- CR - Threatened
- EN - Threatened
- VU - Threatened
- NT
- LC - Least concern
Population trend: Increasing
Year assessed: 2008
Elsewhere on the web
- Grey seal (eastern atlantic population) - Halichoerus grypus (arkive.org)
- Halichoerus (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
- Autumnwatch: meet the animals (bbc.co.uk)
- Grey Seal Conservation Society (greyseal.net)
- IUCN Red List information (iucnredlist.org)
- Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales: fact sheet (welshwildlife.org)
- Gray Seal (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
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