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Wildlife - Mammals
(Click on a title to read about the marine life)
Identification: Smaller than the Grey Seal, The common seal has a shorter head with a more concave forehead. Common seals have V-shaped nostrils. They are very variable in colour, from blonde to black, but generally grey with dark spots.
Common Seal
(Phoca vitulina)
Common seals, even though they are named as such are not as common as the Grey seal. Brixham has a large community of both common and grey that visit our local area. Found hauled out on either the Mew Stone, or possibly on the wave baffles of Brixham harbour, they are a welcome sight.
Identification: With grey and brown fur, and a convex profile whereas the common seal has a concave profile. The grey seal are darker and larger than common seals. The nostrils are parallel to each other.
Grey Seal
(Halichoerus grypus)
Along with the common seals found around the Brixham/Torbay area, the Grey seals are more "heavy duty". Frequently seen in the harbour, or near the breakwater, they can be seen bottling or even begging for food (which is whole heartedly discouraged and against the law).
Identification: Tan/Cream and Grey dual tone sides. Long slender beak. When they breach you can see the markings similar to an elongated "x" pattern.
Common Dolphin
(Delphinus delphis)
Common Dolphins always seem to be the curious, energetic mammals of the sea. People talk of having seen large pods or super-pods made up of hundreds of individuals racing towards or past boats. One of the regular visitors to the Devon South Coast, you can also sometimes see them from Berry Head.
Identification: Their beaked is shorter than that of the Common or Bottlenose specie generally coloured white. They have a grey spray painted colouring on their top and sides instead of clearly defined changes in colour like the Common Dolphin.
White-Beaked Dolphin
(Lagenorhynchus albirostris)
The only pod of White-Beaked Dolphins in the south can be found in our waters of Devon. Normally their habitat is northerly (Scotland and Northern Ireland areas).
Identification: Small rounded head with no obvious beak. Small dorsal fin thats more triangular than Dolphins. Pale grey to almost black in appearance with a white belly.
Harbour Porpoise
(Phocoena phocoena)
Very solitary and "shy", it is typical to see their dorsal fin for a moment and they are gone. You think you saw one, but are never quite sure!. We have had instances where they have come towards a boat, which is unusual as they do not typically approach boats or ride the bow wave like Common Dolphins.
Identification: Has more of a forehead (Melon) similar to a Common Dolphin, but on beak. The head has a crease or groove that goes from the blowhole to the upper lip. Younger animals have dark to light grey flanks, however as they get older the colouring gets paler. Old animals may seem almost white with age.
Risso's Dolphin
(Grampus griseus)
Typical displays of breaching, bobbing, slapping of tale, and head. Slightly more aggressive towards other species of cetaceans. They are not the speed merchants that the Common Dolphins are.
Identification: Their beaked is shorter than that of the Common or Bottlenose specie generally coloured white. They have a grey spray painted colouring on their top and sides instead of clearly defined changes in colour like the Common Dolphin.
Common Minke Whale
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Sighted from Berry Head in March 2021. A lone Minke meandered around the headland feeding for a couple of hours.
Wildlife Sea Safaris - Ethical, conservation orientated, WiSe trained and SeaWatch Foundation recomended. Operating off the coast of South Devon, from Brixham.