Species MammalsGray Seal

Gray Seal

Halichoerus grypus

UncommonMammal
Illustration of Gray Seal (Halichoerus grypus)

The Gray Seal is the largest pinniped in the North Atlantic, with bulls reaching over 700 pounds and an unmistakable horse-like, elongated snout. It has rebounded dramatically in the western North Atlantic, and large breeding colonies now occur on Nantucket and other New England islands. Gray seals are a primary prey of the white shark off Cape Cod, contributing to the recovery of that species as well.

Habitat
Rocky North Atlantic coastlines, islands, and offshore ledges
Diet
Fish, cephalopods, and occasional invertebrates
How common
Uncommon

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