Grey Seal
Featured in: Year 2: Living things and their habitats
Grey Seal
Mammal
A large marine mammal that spends most of its time hunting at sea but comes to UK beaches to rest and give birth.
💡 Fun Facts
- The UK is home to about 40% of the world's population of Grey Seals.
- A mother seal's milk is incredibly rich (up to 60% fat), helping pups put on 2kg a day!
- They can sleep underwater, occasionally bobbing up for air without waking up.
Name Story
Halichoerus grypus
means “the hook-nosed sea-pig”
What does its name mean?
- Halichoerus — sea-pigGreek (hals, 'sea/salt' + choiros, 'pig')
- grypus — hook-nosed, curvedGreek (grypos, 'hooked/aquiline')
Few names fit so well: the grey seal really does have a long, arched, Roman-nosed muzzle — especially the big bulls — earning it the splendid title "hook-nosed sea-pig". Britain is home to a huge share of the world's grey seals.