Grey seal

When: All year round

Scientific name:  Halichoerus grypus

Gaelic name: ron cumanta

Scots name: Selch, selkie, silkie

Size: Up to 3 metres in length

Where: SWT Cambus Pools, along the river or lounging on the rocky shore

Although not the most common sighting in the Inner Forth, occasionally grey seals can be spotted in the river, bobbing their head above the water to take a peek at our fantastic landscape, and presumably catch some delicious fish in the process. Their inquisitive nature has earned them a place in Scottish folklore, with 'selkies' being a well-known mythical creature of Celtic culture.

Red deer are technically the largest mammals in Scotland, although grey seals come a close second, with males weighing in at up to 300 kilograms! These hefty mammals need all the body mass they can get, as life can be tough on the chilly coasts of Scotland. The seals are opportunistic feeders, hunting whatever fish is available at the time, although their most important food sources are sand eels and cod. When they are not hunting, seals will haul themselves out of the water on to the rocky shoreline to rest. They will do this in large groups, although the atmosphere is not always friendly. Seals are very competitive and protective creatures, so will not take kindly to a neighbour invading their space. Males can be notoriously aggressive fighters in the breeding season too, with bulls defending their territory against younger males by engaging in brutal, occasionally fatal, battles.

Autumn and winter are a busy time for grey seals as this is when mothers are rearing their new pups. When first born, the pups will weigh around 14kg, however because the mother's milk is so high in fat, they can gain up to two kilos a day, helping them to develop the thick layer of blubber that will keep them warm once they go out to sea. The pups will stay on land with their mother for up to 21 days, after which the pup will have to fend for itself. By this point, the mother will also be exhausted, as she will not have eaten for the whole time she has been feeding the pup.

As well as returning to land to breed, grey seals will come to the shore to moult - getting rid of their old fur for the growth of a new, thicker coat. This behaviour was perhaps the root of the legend of the selkies; seal like creatures who shed their skin and take human form on land. There have been many stories in the past, describing how a man stole the skin of a particularly beautiful female selkie, thereby trapping her in her human body and forcing her to live on land as his wife. Years later, it was said that one of their children found the skin hidden, and showed it to his mother. The selkie was then able to return to her life in the sea, but could be seen playing in the waves with her human children from time to time.

Seal skins have of course had many uses in the past, creating strong and durable clothing and equipment for humans living or working near water. As grey seals are now protected by law, it is less common to come across products made from their hide. You can discover more about the life and importance of grey seals in Scotland by visiting https://www.nature.scot/plants-and-animals/mammals/marine-mammals/seals