What is a grey seal?
The lengu is also related to other ice-breeding seals through its evolutionary history. Gray seals breed on ice or sand beaches in parts of Canada (Gulf of St. Lawrence, Sable Island, Nova Scotia) and on sandy or rocky beaches or islands in the United States, as well as in parts of the Baltic Sea. Pups molt at three weeks of age.
They lack external earlobes. Adult females are approximately 2.3 meters long and weigh around 250 kilograms, while adult males are 3 meters long and weigh around 400 kilograms. Females have silvery-brown or brown fur with or without black spots, while males have dark brown or brown fur with or without silvery-brown spots. Males also have longer noses than females. The male's nose is so distinctive that the scientific name for the grey seal, Halichoerus grypus, means "hook-nosed sea pig." Grey seal pups have a white coat called lenogo. This white fur helps absorb sunlight and trap heat to keep them warm.
Gray seals gather in large groups during mating and molting seasons. During the rest of the year, they can be found alone, in small groups, or in large groups, both on land and at sea. They can dive to depths of up to 480 meters for an hour. On average, they can ingest between four and six percent of their body weight per day, but they do not eat during mating and molting seasons. Their excellent eyesight and hearing make them efficient hunters. They usually hunt in groups, which makes it easier for them to capture their prey. They feed on fish (mainly sand eel, hake, whiting, cod, haddock, pollock, and flatfish), crustaceans, squid, octopus, and occasionally seabirds. Their diet varies depending on age, sex, season, and geographic location.
Grey seals can become entangled in fishing gear and other marine debris, causing them to become tangled or drift with the gear caught. They can become entangled in various types of fishing gear, such as gillnets, trawls, purse seines, and weirs. Once entangled, seals can drown if they cannot reach the surface to breathe, or they can be dragged by the snagged gear for long distances.
Grey seals are easy to spot in the wild, but this makes them more vulnerable to harassment and, in some cases, deliberate injury and death by humans. Feeding them (or attempting to feed them) is harmful and illegal. It alters their natural behavior and makes them less wary of people and boats. They learn to associate humans with an easy meal and modify their natural hunting methods; for example, they take bait directly from fishing gear. Sometimes they are victims of retaliation (such as being shot) by desperate boaters and fishermen.
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