Gray Seals: A rose by any other name, might smell as sweet… but it won’t sound as cute!
“Adult males, and some older adult females to a lesser extent, have a characteristically long nose with wide nostrils, which is why this species is called “horsehead” in Canada, and why its Latin name translates to “hooked-nose pig of the sea.” (MarineBio.org)
During the shortest days of the year, hundreds of gray seals clamber onto Seal Island for an extraordinary mass breeding event. At this second largest of just four U.S. colonies, the seals come ashore for just a few weeks to give birth and feed their pups.
The 300 pound females have one pup per year, with the peak of births in mid January.
Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge is a 65 acre sanctuary managed in collaboration with the Audubon Seabird Restoration Program (Project Puffin).
