After looking at this adorable gray seal pup you may be surprised to learn that its Latin name translates to hooked-nose sea pig (or piglet, in this pup"s case). Over 110,000 gray seals, more than 35% of the world"s population, make their home in and around the coastal waters of the British Isles. As autumn approaches, pupping season begins, and fuzzy pups—like the one photographed here—can be spotted on the coasts and beaches of the eastern Atlantic. About a month after the seal pups are born, they"re abruptly weaned when their mothers return to the sea to hunt for food and find a new mate. The older pups then congregate for protection in groups called weaner pods. Within weeks they shed their thick pup fur and take to the sea to learn how to catch their own fish.
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Today in History
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River Quoich in Aberdeenshire, Scotland
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Hippo family in Chobe National Park, Botswana
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Trunks stick together
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Kirkjufell, Iceland
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Blue paradise on the Costa Brava
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Honoring the first American woman in space
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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It’s National Walk to Work Day
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American goldfinch
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Water colors
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Mooncake time
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The story of the poinsettia
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Jasper Dark Sky Festival
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Big dreams require a big sleigh
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Polar bears
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Cool water in the Quinault
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They’re grrrape!
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Batten down the hatches
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Bathing in the light of Pride
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Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
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Singing praises of the oceans
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Fall color sweeps across the West
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
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Leaves of Grass
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A march toward a dream
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Indigo bunting
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Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
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Colorful cows of the reef
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Instant romance
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The story of a rediscovered redwood