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Native seals
Harbour and grey seals live here, on the German North and Baltic Sea coasts. Both seal species belong to the family of the true seals. They are easily distinguished from each other by characteristics such as skull shape, body size and fur colour. Additionally, the yearly reproductive cycle of the two species differs. While harbour seals give birth to their young in the summer, grey seals do so in the winter.
Still under construction: Soon you can discover the world of the native seals in our new exhibition “Native Seals”.
Harbour or grey seal?
Harbour seal
Phoca vitulina vitulina
Round skull
Female | Male |
up to 150 cm | up to 180 cm |
up to 80 kg | up to 120 kg |
from 3 years old | from 5 years old |
Mottled grey spots | Mottled grey spots |
Molars split several times
Fish
Cephalopods
Small crabs
Summer
Birth of young on sandbanks at the start of the low tide
Young already swim alongside their mother during the next high tide
Suckling period
4-6 weeks
Worldwide | 640.000 |
Wadden Sea (NL, D, DK) | 28.352 |
Schleswig-Holstein | 10.746 |
Heligoland | 136 |
Year: 2019
Grey seal
Halichoerus grypus
Long skull
Female | Male |
up to 200 cm | up to 230 cm |
up to 186 kg | up to 310 kg |
from 3 years old | from 5 years old |
Light coat with dark spots | Dark coat with light spots |
Molars cone shaped
Fish
Cephalopods
Small crabs
Carrion
Infrequently sea birds
Infrequently harbour seals
Infrequently porpoises
Winter
Birth of young on land, at sites above the high tide
Young stay mostly on land
Suckling period
2-3 weeks
Worldwide | 632.000 |
Wadden Sea (NL, D, DK) | 7.649 |
Schleswig-Holstein | 218 |
Heligoland | 890 |
Year: 2019