Grey seal

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

Males have a dark-grey fur with light spots. They reach a length of about 2.3 m and weight up to 300 kg. Females have a silver-grey fur with dark-grey spots. They are much smaller than males, reaching a lenght of about 1.8 m and a weight of 150 kg. Pups are born in autumn in the eastern Atlantic populations and in winter in the western population. At first they have a dense, soft silky white fur which is replaced after about a month by the dense waterproof adult fur.

Did you know?
that although similar in appearance and life history, there is no exchange between the Canadian grey seals and those of Europe and the Baltic?

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	CARNIVORA
Suborder	PINNIPEDIA
Family	PHOCIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Halichoerus grypus
Name (English)	Grey seal
Name (French)	Phoque gris
Name (German)	Kegelrobbe
Name (Spanish)	Foca gris
Local names	Estonian: Hallhüljes Finnish: Halli Swedish: Gråsäl
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Vladimír Motyčka

Distribution

Distribution
Range	The Grey seal occurs in three distinct populations: 1. The population of the Eastern Atlantic lifes mainly on the coasts of Iceland, the Uk, Irland and the Färöer Islands, and occationally in the North sea. 2. The population of the eastern Atlantic lifes on the western coast of Canada (Labrador to Nova Scotia). 3. The third population occurs in the Baltic Sea (mainly on the coasts of Sweden, Finland and Estonia) and is a subspecies of its own. (H. g. balticus).
Habitat	On rocky islands and coasts, caves, sandy islands and beaches, and on land-fast ice or on pack ice. They feed in cold open waters
Wild population	About 290,000-300,000 world-wide.
Zoo population	87 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 76 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Vladimír Motyčka

Why do zoos keep this animal

The grey seal is kept for educational reasons, in North America and Europe as an important element of the native coastal fauna, and as a representative of the earless seals. Although less appealing to the public than the common seal,it is still a good ambassador species to convey marine conservation messages.

How this animal should be kept

WAZA is currently looking into the possibility of developing global standards for marine mammals. The following should therefore be considered as preliminary information:

Although a marine species, the grey seal can be kept in freshwater pools if necessary. Many inland zoos offer side pools with salt water however. The water should be of good quality, and must either be filtered or replaced at appropriate intervals.

A pool for up to two adult grey seals must have the following dimensions: a minimum surface of 60 m² and an average water depth of 1.5 m, i.e. a water volume of 90 m³. For each additional adult animal, the water surface must be increased by 10 m², and the water volume accordingly.

The land part of the enclosure should have a size of 5 m² per adult animal.

Grey seals should be fed at least twice per day. The diet consists of sea fish, such as herring or mackerel, of good quality. The fish should be supplemented with vitamins, in particular vitamin B1.

Regular training or other forms of behavioural enrichment are essential.