Grey seal
Halichoerus grypus
- Scientific name
- Halichoerus grypus
- Group
- Marine mammals
- Rarity
- Rare
- Where to see it
- Temperate Atlantic / English Channel, Cold / polar waters
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The grey seal is easy to identify by its long, almost horse-like snout, which gives it its scientific name grypus, meaning hook-nosed. It can dive over 100 meters deep and stay submerged for nearly half an hour.
What defines this group — Marine mammals
Warm-blooded, they nurse their young and breathe air — the group closest to us underwater.
- They breathe through a blowhole (whales, dolphins) or nostrils (seals, sea lions).
- A thick layer of blubber, rather than fur, insulates them from the cold.
- Many navigate and hunt by sound, using echolocation.