Common Seal Phoca vitulina
(aka Harbour Seal)
Common Seal, Grobust, Westray, Orkney, May 2003 - click for larger image Scotland and Canada

The Common Seal is found in the northern hemisphere only along the coasts and near islands in the north Pacific and north Atlantic Oceans. It is smaller than the Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus at under 2 metres and weighing under 100 kilos.
Common Seal, Grobust, Westray, Orkney, May 2003 - click for larger image It has a short neck, a rounded head and v-shaped nostrils and is often described as having an elderly dog-like face.

They are generally solitary while at sea when they feed on fish, octopus and squid but form colonies at other times and during the moulting period.
Common Seal, Grobust, Westray, Orkney, May 2003 - click for larger image There is more information on Wikipedia.
Common Seal, Fetlar, Shetland, May 2004 - click for larger image .
Common Seal, Iona, Scotland, June 2005 - click for larger image .
Common Seal, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 2009 - click for larger image .
Common Seal, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 2009 - click for larger image
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