Grey Seal Cow and Bull

A grey seal cow and bull (Halichoerus grypus) sharing a playful moment in the surf, Lincolnshire UK. Grey Seal cows have a life expectancy of 35 years or longer. Unfortunately the bulls rarely live for more than 20-25 years due to the stress and violence of the fights over mating rights.

About Grey Seals

For much of the year grey seals are out at sea or hauled out on far away sandbanks, but from October to December the seals come ashore to give birth to their pups on the sand dunes of Donna Nook. Donna Nook is home to one the largest and most accessible grey seal colonies in the UK. There are about 3,000 Grey Seals along the coastline, and 900+ pups are born each year. The area is actually owned by the MOD (Ministry of Defence) as a bombing range, but surprisingly the seals seem relatively undisturbed by the military activity and return here year after year.