Suckling grey seal pup with its mother

Grey Seals Horsey Beach and Dunes Around half of the world’s population of grey seals are found around Britain, therefore their protection is of international conservation importance. The scientific name Halichoerus grypus means “Hook-nosed Sea Pig”! It is one of our largest mammals but is still vulnerable to disturbance during the pupping season. Grey seals come ashore to breed – the breeding site is known as a rookery or haul-out. The females cows arrive at the breeding sites first and will usually give birth a day later. As mammals they feed their pups on their milk for three weeks, keeping a close territory.

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