Gray seal

Halichoerus grypus

A large seal of cold North Atlantic coasts. It has a long muzzle, spotted gray or brown coat, and breeds on remote beaches and rocky shores.

Key facts

Gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) is a carnivore animal classified as Mammal · Carnivora · Phocidae.
Primary habitats are coast · open ocean, with a range across Nearctic · Palearctic · Atlantic Ocean.
Activity is cathemeral, sociality is colony, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
A large seal of cold North Atlantic coasts.
Gray seals use North Atlantic coasts, islands, reefs, sandbanks, and continental shelf waters.

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Gray seals use North Atlantic coasts, islands, reefs, sandbanks, and continental shelf waters. Quiet haul-out and breeding sites are important.

Adults are gray to brown with dark or pale spotting. Males are larger than females and have a longer, more convex muzzle.

They forage alone or in small groups at sea and gather at colonies during breeding. Dives often target fish near the seabed.

Diet includes fish, squid, octopus, and crustaceans. Local prey can include bottom-dwelling and schooling fishes.

Females come ashore in autumn or winter and give birth to a single white-coated pup. Nursing is brief and pups build fat rapidly.

Some populations have increased under protection, while fishery interactions, bycatch, and marine pollution remain management concerns.