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Eye Spy

October 8, 2013

A Northwest Atlantic gray seal bobs in the water between Chatham and Monomoy Island at high tide in September 2013. In these waters, they feed primarily on small, bottom-dwelling fish called sand lance or sand eels, which help bulls grow up to 11 feet long and weigh as much as 880 pounds. At low tide, gray seals haul out on beaches and barrier islands in large groups. Scientists are partnering with the public to identify and report sightings of seals and other marine animals through the Marine Animal Identification Network (MAIN). This individual was spotted by WHOI’s Ocean Science Journalism Fellows while aboard the Monomoy Island Ferry.(Photo by Jayne Doucette, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)