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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

FemaleMale
up to 150 cmup to 180 cm
up to 80 kgup to 120 kg
from 3 years oldfrom 5 years old
Mottled grey spotsMottled 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

 

 

Worldwide640.000
Wadden Sea
(NL, D, DK)
28.352
Schleswig-Holstein10.746
Heligoland136

Year: 2019

Grey seal

Halichoerus grypus

Long skull

FemaleMale
up to 200 cmup to 230 cm
up to 186 kgup to 310 kg
from 3 years oldfrom 5 years old
Light coat with dark spotsDark 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

Worldwide632.000
Wadden Sea
(NL, D, DK)
7.649
Schleswig-Holstein218
Heligoland890

Year: 2019