Grey seal
species of seal
The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), or gray seal in the United States, is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or "earless seals". The only species classified in the genus Halichoerus, it is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin, Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is also known as the horsehead seal, owing to its large head.
The grey seal is large and heavy, with individuals from the eastern Atlantic being 1.6–2.3 m (5 ft 3 in – 7 ft 7 in) long and weighing 100–310 kg (220–680 lb), while individuals from the western Atlantic are up to 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) long, and can reach a weight of as much as 400 kg (880 lb). It is found widely across the northern Atlantic, ranging from the US to Russia, and occasionally as far south as Portugal. It can be divided into two subspecies: the Baltic grey seal (Halichoerus grypus grypus), found in the Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic grey seal (Halichoerus grypus atlantica), found everywhere else. The largest populations are in Canada and the UK.
Grey seals have a varied diet, feeding mostly on fish, and occasionally on invertebrates such as octopuses and lobsters. Their main predators are orcas, and they are also prey to sharks. The pups main predator is often eagles and gulls.
“Grey seal” enters the record as species of seal. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Grey, seal and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Grey seal” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Grey, seal and species provides the most credible route into that argument.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q27370. The Library of Congress control number is sh85057321. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Grey seal”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Grey seal primary sources, Grey seal archive and Grey research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Grey seal”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Grey seal” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.