By Laura Ross
Communications Officer, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Despite an increasing presence at the nature reserve, it’s always a treat to spot the shiny, bobbing head of a seal. Often, they disappear in the blink of an eye, so it’s handy to have a few pointers to help distinguish between the two species found at Rye Harbour; the Common (or Harbour) Seal and the Grey Seal.
Shape of the head
If you’re lucky enough to spot a seal in profile, the Grey Seal has a longer, flatter ‘roman’ nose, with parallel nostrils and eyes on the side of their head.
Common Seal have a more rounded puppy-like face, with v-shaped nostrils, a defined forehead and large eyes with a frontal position.
Colour
The Grey Seal is unsurprisingly mainly grey in colour, with a mottled pattern of dark and pale blotches on its coat. Common Seal can vary greatly from a silvery tan through to a near-black colour with more uniform spots.
Body size
Sometimes you’ll be fortunate to catch them hauled out on the shore at Camber Sands opposite the river mouth. Grey Seal are much bigger, often over 2 metres long in comparison to Common Seal at around 1.3 to 1.7 metres.
Movement on land
Grey Seal adopt a bouncing technique, whereas Harbour Seal tend to move from a resting banana shape to a wriggling, caterpillar motion.
The local seals get a mention in the book Shingle Shore, by Barry Yates and SC Morgan, with a reminder of the special connection we have with them: 'They are as curious as we are, and will often turn to look as you walk by. Old stories tell of fishermen calling seals to them by whistling'. Next time you happen to see one, give it a try and let us know if they look up!
This post is also available on Sussex Wildlife Trust website
