New grey seal pups arrive on Norfolk coast as pupping season starts
New grey seal pups have been spotted with their mothers at Horsey beach in Norfolk as the autumn pupping season begins. The colony draws thousands of visitors each winter, so wildlife groups are urging people to watch from a distance to avoid disturbing the animals.
More than 3,700 pups were born along the five-mile coast between Waxham and Winterton last year. The RSPCA advises visitors to stay at least 100 metres away: if a mother is frightened into the sea, she may leave her pup behind and not return to feed it. Both grey and common seals are protected by UK wildlife laws, and petting or feeding them is against the law.
In short
- Grey seal pupping season has begun at Horsey in Norfolk.
- More than 3,700 pups were born there last year.
- Visitors are advised to stay at least 100 metres away.
Explained simply
Grey seals gather on parts of the Norfolk coast to give birth each autumn and winter. Their pups rely on their mothers for milk while they grow and build up strength.
Horsey beach lies within a stretch of coast where thousands of pups were born last year. Grey and common seals are protected by UK wildlife laws, which prohibit people from petting or feeding them.
Visitors can watch seals from the shore, but getting too close can frighten a mother into the sea and leave her pup without care. Wildlife groups advise keeping at least 100 metres away.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Seal-ed with a snuggle! Newborn pup is spotted with its mother on the beach”.