Quick answer
Key facts about grey seal — size, diet, habitat, and conservation in one place.
Pupping colonies
White-coated pups fast on land for weeks while mothers forage at sea, nursing rich milk that triples weight. Disturbance causes mothers to abandon pups — keep distance.
Two Atlantic populations
Western Atlantic grey seals breed from Canada to New England; eastern Atlantic colonies span Britain, Ireland, and Scandinavia. UK holds roughly 40% of global numbers.
Fishery interactions
Seals follow trawlers and damage nets — conflict with fishers persists despite protected status. Balancing conservation and livelihoods remains contentious.
Recovery trend
Once hunted heavily, grey seals increased through 20th-century protection. Some argue they compete with recovering cod stocks — science continues to evaluate ecosystem effects.