Diet: Fish, sand eels, octopi, lobsters, harbour seals, harbour porpoises.
With their streamlined bodies, sensitive ears and strong flippers, seals can detect predators and swim at high speeds to escape an attack.

2003). Male grey seals have wrinkled necks, thicker necks and shoulders, and longer, broader, more rounded snouts than females. Gray seal nostrils are widely separated at the bottom of the nose and do not converge to a V-shape typical of the other species, and the male hooded seal’s nose is … Prey. 1).Most of the study area has shallow water depths (<60 m) but depths down to 200 m do occur.

Generally, males are darker and females lighter. Its name is alternatively spelled Grey seal and it is also known as Atlantic Grey Seal. Name: Grey Seal, Atlantic Seal, Horsehead Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Length: 1.5 to 3.5 metres. Orcas (also known as killer whales) and sharks have been known to prey on these seals. These seals can live from 25 to 35 years.

Seals also have sharp teeth and powerful jaws that come in handy when fighting off predators. Predators - Grey seal. Threats. Seals protect themselves from predators by propelling through the water when predators threaten them. Conservation status. The grey seal has no natural predators in UK waters. It is the only species classified in the genus ‘Halichoerus’. A grown-up grey seal can dive down to 100 metres to catch fish. Predators Predators of Grey Seals include killer whales and sharks. Grey Seal Predators & Threats. The predators of Harp Seals are:-> Polar Bears- one stroke of the bear’s paw and a bite at the back of the skull can kill a seal-> Humans-> Foxes-> Wolves-> Birds-> Orcas and Sharks- hunt them while in the water All of these animals hunt them because they are very small. They are weaned at 3 weeks old and they reach sexual maturity at 3 - 8 years of age. Grey Seals are prey to sharks and Orcas. It is often the younger pups that have just started going into the water that these larger animals will feed on. Adequate information on the foraging habits is a requirement for responsible management of the seal population. Weight: 100 to 400 kg, males being larger. Subspecies Grey seals: perhaps Norfolk's finest? In the West of Scotland, estimates of cod consumption by seals have exceeded reported catches and spawning biomass, focussing attention on … The seals prey on:-> Fish-> Crustaceans. Predators & Threats. Disease and parasites are also natural threats. Both are relatively common and are even seeing their numbers increase – an issue which some say is responsible for reducing fish stocks and leads to concerns from sea anglers (read more about seals and sea fishing in this article ). UK grey seal numbers are currently stable or increasing throughout their monitored range (SMRU, 2017), suggesting that their population status is not under threat; however, POPs are important influencers of first‐year survival in grey seal pups, which is a key component of the population dynamics of the species (Hall et al., 2009). Grey seal colouration varies from blackish with white specks and splotches to whitish with black markings. Do Grey Seals have any natural predators? Breeding After a gestation period of 11 months, Grey Seals give birth to a single pup. This is due to the fact that they swallow their prey instead of chewing it. Locally common. Though grey seals can swim at speeds up to 25 mph, they still have predators in the ocean. 7 Grand Grey Seal Facts. Diving for approximately three minutes at a time, the grey seal feeds on fish, crustaceans and cephalapods. The sleek grey seals seen off… Also about how humans have damaged the population.

Small numbers are found off the coasts of Wales, Cornwall and Norfolk, and larger numbers off the Lincolnshire coast, Farne Islands, Isle of May and Shetland Islands. Grey seal predation has been blamed by fishers for the decline of Atlantic cod stocks and has led to calls for seal culls. Location: Northeast coast of North America, Northwest coast of Europe. The two seal species that reproduce in the southern North Sea, the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) and the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) are, amongst others, top predators of the Wadden and North Sea (Hammond et al., 2002).
I'll hush. The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean.It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or "earless 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 seal and the horsehead seal. Common and Grey Seals There are two types of seal found around the British Isles – the common seal and the grey seal. Hunting significantly reduced the grey seal population in the 1800s. The study area covers the southwestern part of the Baltic Sea (Fig. Pups are born white with a yellowish tint. The Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) as a Predator of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)? Like most seals, the Grey Seal is predated upon by Killer Whales and in other continents famously by the Great White Shark.