Due it always likes to dwell near the shore, on rocks or boulders and on beaches, the common seal is also known as the harbour seal in English. This is because of its preferred habitat. Seals may be found across the United Kingdom, notably in the counties of Devon, Cornwall, and Pembrokeshire in Wales; however, the majority of the UK’s common seal population lives in Scotland, which accounts for 85 percent of the total.
Seals may also be found in the estuary of the Thames, and on sometimes, a common seal will swim up the river and find its way into the heart of London. The waters off the east coast of England are home to a population of grey seals. The population of grey seals had been in risk of extinction because they were hunted for their oil, but things are starting to look up for them.
The grey seal, which also exists in great numbers in the British Isles, may be identified from the common seal, which is not considered to be in imminent danger of extinction, by the common seal’s lack of visible ears and the grey seal’s rounder, more concave nose. They are also less in weight, but you won’t realise this about them until you compare them to one another or weigh them side by side. The weight of a common seal is around 130 kilogrammes, whereas the maximum weight of a grey seal is 270 kilos. In addition, the grey seal, as may be expected, has a greyish hue most of the time.
The snout of the common seal is sometimes compared to that of a dog, but the snout of the grey seal is said to be as long as that of a horse (in fact in certain parts of Canada they are called Horsehead Seal). In addition, the harbour seal is able to raise its tail and will frequently do so while it is on land.
When will you be able to view seals in the United Kingdom?
During their moults, which typically take place following the birth of the pups and are the greatest times to see them, common seals spend a significant amount of time on beaches. The situation is murky due to the fact that common seals generally spawn in the spring, and as a result, they shed their skin in the late spring or early summer. Seals in the UK breed practically continuously throughout the year, however the months of July, August, and September are often the months when a significant number of seals are moulting and you may see them on the coast. After this time period, they have a propensity to vanish for a while.
Gray seals only spend a short amount of time on land, but the females travel there just before giving birth to their pups. When it comes to when they give birth, it depends on where they are. For example, in Cornwall and Devon, they give birth in August, while in Scotland they give birth in October or November, and on the east coast of England they give birth in December.
Pay close attention to the female seals in the United Kingdom during the mating season since they have a propensity for becoming aggressive. Seals, on the other hand, rarely pose a threat to humans. Gray seals are known to be considerably more hostile than their more common counterparts, the common seal. There are occasions when mother grey seals briefly separate themselves from their pups. You shouldn’t get too close to the infant since the mother hasn’t gone very far, and she won’t be in a good mood if she sees you.
