There are two types of seals you can find lollopying about the shore of the UK, the Grey Seal and the Common Seal. If you were to ask me how to tell the the difference between them, the serious side of me would say that the common seal is smaller then the grey seal, has a less extended snout and has nostrols in a sharper v-shape. But what I would really want to tell you, was that common seals are 1000 times cuter then grey seals (and I still think grey seals are pretty cute.. so you can imagine how cute common seals are), they are like the cutest puppies! But please dont ever try to cuddle a seal, save the cuddling to actual puppies.
I am not sure I have ever seen a common seal. I think I saw some in Orkney, but they were very far away and with no reference it was hard to tell. I am hoping one of these days I will get to see these lumpy lovlies from a bit closer, or at least with a decent view of them through binoculars. Common seals are the rarer type of seal on our coastlines. This was not helped by a vary nasty virus that went round seal popoualtions until about 2002, that hit common seals hard. I am hoping now that I live in Scotland that I will have a much better chance as seeing a common seal as 83% of the total number of UK common seals are here.
I have drawn this seal having a lovely nap. Thats because you’ll most likely see a seal when its hauled out on rock or sand, having a doze. These are when you see these large lumps trying to wiggle round and navigate land… pretty poorly I might add. Well thats because there not made for land and only spend around 20% of there entire lives like this.
Seals are made for the water, they are elegant, zippy, agile swimmers that usually dive for 8 minutes at a time with only one mintue at the surface but can stay down for 30 minutes. They spend there time feeding on fish, mussels, octopus, whelks, crabs. You name it, if they can catch it (and trust me the odds are usually in the seals favour) they will eat it. You dont want to mess with these in the water.
Well thats about all my knowdlege of common seals (studying things with backbones is not my area…) but hope you enjoyed this quick post and the video of me painting the seal!
Happy Seal Watching!
MarineMumbles xx