Size:
Can grow to a length of around two metres.Distribution:
More than half of the worlds grey seal population lives and breeds
around the U.K. coast. The largest populations are found at Donna
Nook in Lincolnshire, on the Farne Islands, the Cornish coast and
Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.Months
seen: All year
round.Food:
They feed on fish such as cod and salmon.Special
features: The male
(bull) grey seals are the largest mammals found in the UK. They can
weigh up to twice that of our largest land mammal, the red deer.
Grey seals differ from the common seal in that they have a longer muzzle.
Grey seals can dive to a depth of seventy metres and spend an average of eight minutes underwater. They are able to stay underwater for up to thirty minutes before coming up for air.
Between September and November, the females (cows) give birth to their pups. When they are born, the pups weigh around 15kgs. The milk produced by their mothers is almost 60% fat, and the pups drink roughly 3 litres a day.
As a result the pups weight rapidly increases. They put on about 35 to 40 kilos in under 3 weeks. At the same time the mothers lose around 70 to 80kgs.
Since they are the third rarest seal in the world, grey seals are protected during the breeding season by law, from September 1st to December 31st.Did You Know?
Seals often sleep at sea, with their noses bobbing out of the water like upright bottles. MORE than 3,000 visitors peered through binoculars and camera lenses on Sunday to watch a sea of seals snake their way along the sands at Donna Nook. Most people had traveled from across Lincolnshire to catch a glimpse of a phenomenon which has now reached epic proportions.
But none had come from quite as far as Spanish wildlife photographer Inaki Relanzon.
"For me, it's not normal to see wildlife as close as we can here. To be able to get so close to the seals is wonderful. "Normally, animals are scared of people. Donna Nook is very, very good for me," said Mr Relanzon, who was shadowed by a Spanish national film crew, documenting his work. The 33-year-old photographer, who lives in Barcelona, has caught nature on film in exotic and untouched locations throughout the world. His pictures include Canadian polar bears and Moroccan baboons. Mr Relanzon said: "A friend of mine from London told me about the seals here. It was worth the journey." I had been taken to see him working by the shore's edge at low tide by Donna Nook Coastguard. The Coastguard's eight volunteer officers watch over 16 miles of sand, mud and greenshore from Saltfleet Haven to Haile Sand Fort, Cleethorpes.
The unique stretch of coastline includes an RAF bombing range, a nature reserve and, of course, the colony of 3,000 grey seals. The coastguard officer in charge, Graham Merrikin, has seen the colony grow from around 200 seals when he first joined in 1966. The population explosion has meant, each year, between 30,000-40,000 people come to see the seals between late October to Christmas. Graham: "When the RAF is not using the bombing range, the public can go wherever they like. A sea fog can descend at any time – it can be very dangerous. "We advise people to always wear warm clothing, and take food and water with them.
Grey seals differ from the common seal in that they have a longer muzzle.
Grey seals can dive to a depth of seventy metres and spend an average of eight minutes underwater. They are able to stay underwater for up to thirty minutes before coming up for air.
Between September and November, the females (cows) give birth to their pups. When they are born, the pups weigh around 15kgs. The milk produced by their mothers is almost 60% fat, and the pups drink roughly 3 litres a day.
As a result the pups weight rapidly increases. They put on about 35 to 40 kilos in under 3 weeks. At the same time the mothers lose around 70 to 80kgs.
Since they are the third rarest seal in the world, grey seals are protected during the breeding season by law, from September 1st to December 31st.Did You Know?
Seals often sleep at sea, with their noses bobbing out of the water like upright bottles. MORE than 3,000 visitors peered through binoculars and camera lenses on Sunday to watch a sea of seals snake their way along the sands at Donna Nook. Most people had traveled from across Lincolnshire to catch a glimpse of a phenomenon which has now reached epic proportions.
But none had come from quite as far as Spanish wildlife photographer Inaki Relanzon.
"For me, it's not normal to see wildlife as close as we can here. To be able to get so close to the seals is wonderful. "Normally, animals are scared of people. Donna Nook is very, very good for me," said Mr Relanzon, who was shadowed by a Spanish national film crew, documenting his work. The 33-year-old photographer, who lives in Barcelona, has caught nature on film in exotic and untouched locations throughout the world. His pictures include Canadian polar bears and Moroccan baboons. Mr Relanzon said: "A friend of mine from London told me about the seals here. It was worth the journey." I had been taken to see him working by the shore's edge at low tide by Donna Nook Coastguard. The Coastguard's eight volunteer officers watch over 16 miles of sand, mud and greenshore from Saltfleet Haven to Haile Sand Fort, Cleethorpes.
The unique stretch of coastline includes an RAF bombing range, a nature reserve and, of course, the colony of 3,000 grey seals. The coastguard officer in charge, Graham Merrikin, has seen the colony grow from around 200 seals when he first joined in 1966. The population explosion has meant, each year, between 30,000-40,000 people come to see the seals between late October to Christmas. Graham: "When the RAF is not using the bombing range, the public can go wherever they like. A sea fog can descend at any time – it can be very dangerous. "We advise people to always wear warm clothing, and take food and water with them.
Remember!
* Keep your distance from seals.
* Never touch a seal – a mother may abandon a pup if it smells of humans or dogs.
* Keep your dog on a lead and away from seals.
Coastguard officer John Frank added: "We often meet visitors who have brought prawns or sardines to feed the seals with. But, please, don't feed them." His colleague, Keith Warsap, added: "On clear days like today, when the sun is out and the wind is calm, it's quite an experience to hear the seals' eerie cries, alone by the shore. "But conditions can change – the coastline should always be treated with the utmost of respect."
Ninety-eight pups were born at Donna Nook in 2004 – and this year wildlife experts believe the 100 mark will be broken for the first time.
* Keep your distance from seals.
* Never touch a seal – a mother may abandon a pup if it smells of humans or dogs.
* Keep your dog on a lead and away from seals.
Coastguard officer John Frank added: "We often meet visitors who have brought prawns or sardines to feed the seals with. But, please, don't feed them." His colleague, Keith Warsap, added: "On clear days like today, when the sun is out and the wind is calm, it's quite an experience to hear the seals' eerie cries, alone by the shore. "But conditions can change – the coastline should always be treated with the utmost of respect."
Ninety-eight pups were born at Donna Nook in 2004 – and this year wildlife experts believe the 100 mark will be broken for the first time.
- What do seals eat?
- How deep can they dive?
- Why do pups put on weight so fast?
- What animals, apart from seals, does Mr Relanzon photograph?
- How many seals were in Donna Nook around 1966?
- Why visitors cannot touch seal pups?
- Is the amount of seals falling or rising?
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