As frequent visitors to the UK’s coastal areas, you may come across a variety of wildlife. One such species is the seal, whose pups often find their way onto the shore. While their presence provides a unique opportunity for observation, it’s critical to handle these encounters responsibly to avoid causing distress to these marine creatures. This article aims to guide you on how best to approach an encounter with a seal pup on the beach, ensuring both your safety and the wellbeing of these magnificent animals.
Recognising the Grey Seal
Before diving into the specifics, it’s crucial to know how to identify these charming marine creatures. You’ll find that grey seals are one of the more common species you’ll encounter on UK’s beaches.
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Grey seals are large marine mammals found along most coasts of the North Atlantic. Their name comes from the greyish colour of their fur, which can vary from light grey to dark brown. They have a distinctive long snout and parallel nostrils, which differentiates them from other species.
Their pups are born with a fluffy, white coat, which they’ll shed after about three weeks. At birth, seal pups are about a meter long and weigh around 14 kilograms. They grow rapidly due to the rich, fatty milk their mothers feed them.
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When and Where to Find Grey Seals
Year-round, seals can be found in the waters around the UK. However, seal pups are typically born between September and December, peaking in October and November. During this time, you’re more likely to encounter a seal pup on the beach.
Grey seals are widespread across the UK but are most commonly found around the coasts of Scotland, Wales, and the east of England. They’re particularly fond of remote, rocky or sandy beaches. Yet, they’ll sometimes venture closer to populated areas, particularly during the pupping season.
Understanding the Behaviour of Seals
Understanding seal behaviour will help you determine the best course of action during an encounter. Seals are wild animals, and like all wildlife, they should be observed from a distance to avoid disturbance.
Seal pups are often found alone on the beach. This is normal behaviour, and it does not necessarily mean the pup is abandoned or in distress. Mothers often leave their pups on the beach while they go out to sea to feed.
If a seal pup is alert and responsive, it’s probably healthy. However, if it’s continually crying, appears thin, injured, or unresponsive, you should contact a local wildlife rescue organisation.
How to Respond to a Seal Encounter
If you do encounter a seal pup on the beach, your actions can significantly impact the animal. To ensure the seal’s safety and minimise disturbance, you should:
- Keep your distance: Stay at least 50 meters away from the seal. Any closer, and you might scare the mother away or cause the pup to panic and enter the water before it’s ready.
- Do not touch or feed the seal: They’re wild animals and should be allowed to behave naturally. Touching a seal pup can scare it, transmit diseases, or make it dependent on humans.
- Keep dogs on a leash: Dogs can easily frighten or injure seals. It’s essential to keep your dog on a leash and under control near seals.
- Avoid causing a disturbance: Loud noises or sudden movements can scare seals. Try to remain quiet and calm near a seal.
- Contact a wildlife rescue organisation if necessary: If you find a seal that appears injured, sick, or in danger, do not attempt to help it yourself. Instead, contact a local wildlife rescue organisation.
The Role of Seal Conservation
The UK is home to around 40% of the global population of grey seals, making its protection pivotal. While seals are protected by law, human activity and climate change pose significant threats to their populations.
Responsible behaviour during seal encounters is one way you can help. By following the advice given, not only will you ensure the safety and wellbeing of seals, but also contribute to the larger conservation efforts aimed at preserving these unique marine animals.
Remember, encountering a seal pup on the beach can be a memorable experience, but it’s crucial to act responsibly. In doing so, you’ll help protect these magnificent creatures, ensuring they continue to be a part of the UK’s rich wildlife diversity for years to come.
Grey Seals and Harbour Seals: Spotting the Difference
It’s important to note that the UK is home to not one, but two types of seals – grey seals and harbour seals. While the focus so far has been on grey seals, it’s also crucial to understand how to identify harbour seals to make sure you’re responding correctly to an encounter.
Harbour seals, also known as common seals, can be differentiated from grey seals by their smaller size and more rounded head with a shorter snout. Their nostrils form a V shape, unlike the parallel nostrils of the grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). Harbour seals also have a more varied colouring, ranging from light grey to brownish-black, often with a pattern of spots.
The behaviour of harbour seal pups is very similar to that of grey seal pups. They are also often found alone on the beach while their mothers are out at sea. Similar rules apply when encountering a harbour seal pup: keep your distance, don’t touch or feed the seal, keep dogs on a leash and contact a wildlife rescue organisation if the pup seems in distress.
Seal Watching: A Responsible Activity
Seal watching is a favourite activity for many visitors to the UK’s coasts. However, it’s essential to remember that our enjoyment should never come at the expense of the seals’ wellbeing. The southern shore of Donna Nook in Lincolnshire is a notable seal watching site, with extensive grey seal colonies returning each year for pupping.
Seal haul-out sites, where seals gather to rest, moult, or breed, are also significant. Disturbance at these sites can cause the seals to flush into the water, which can be particularly dangerous during the pupping season. Remember, it’s essential to respect these sites and avoid causing any disturbance.
When watching seals, use binoculars or a telescope to get a good view without getting too close. Stay quiet, move slowly and avoid any sudden movements.
Avoid visiting seal colonies during the peak pupping season (typically between September and December for grey seals and June to August for harbour seals). If you do visit, be extra cautious and respectful. Remember that mothers can be very protective of their pups and that any disturbance can cause distress or abandonment.
Conclusion: An Important Role in Protecting Marine Life
As beach visitors and wildlife spectators, we play a significant part in the conservation of UK’s marine life, including grey and harbour seals. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, we can ensure our actions are not detrimental to these beautiful creatures.
Our responsible behaviour during seal encounters, whether it’s while seal watching at Donna Nook or stumbling upon a lone seal pup on the beach, helps in the larger conservation efforts. In particular, British Divers Marine Life Rescue and other similar organisations do a commendable job in caring for distressed seal pups.
But they need our help. By acting responsibly and alerting these organisations when necessary, we can support their work and contribute to the long-term survival of the UK’s seal populations.
In the end, it’s about striking a balance between our desire to appreciate these animals up close and the need to respect their natural behaviours and habitats. By keeping this balance, we can all play a part in ensuring that seals remain a staple of the UK’s rich wildlife diversity for generations to come.