Harbour Seal or Common Seal
Photo: Nigel Smith, Lochalsh
Numbers: Between 1996 and 2001 it was estimated that Scotland had approximately 29,700 Common Seals.
Britain is home to about 40% of the European sub-species of Common Seal and 85% of the UK total are in Scottish waters.
Diet : Opportunistic feeders eating anything from shrimps, crabs, conger eels, fish, octopus and squid.
Habits : Common Seals lay on rocks during the day time, so long as it isn't raining!! They always choose the sheltered side if the wind is blowing. There are occasions prior to and after pupping when some females will hunt during the day, to help keep up with milk production.
Pups swim within 1/2 hr of being born and can often be seen riding on their mothers back in the early days, when they are not strong enough to swim for long periods. After 6 weeks they are weened.
Atlantic Grey Seal
Photo: Nigel Smith, Lochalsh
Numbers:
The British Grey Seal population is approximately 40% of the world total. Scotland is home to about 90% of the UK population, which amounted to approximately 120,000 in 1996.
Diet :
Grey seals are bigger fish eaters than common seals.
Habits :
The grey seals are much bigger than common seals, they can weigh up to 300 pounds. Their pups are born above the tide line. Grey seal pups are white in the early days and it is several weeks before they venture into the water. Grey seals swim far, and can happily go hundreds of miles out into the Atlantic looking for food.
Seals of Lochalsh
Photo: Nigel Smith, Lochalsh
We have a regular group of common seals that we see in the Loch. Numbers vary from day to day, but are generally between 8 and 30 ! This year (2008) numbers are low due to the indescriminate shooting that has been going on. In the Spring and Autumn we see the occassional grey seal, but they never stay long. Sometimes they haul out with the common seals.