Number of seal pups born in Norfolk is expected to increase every year- says local group
4,500 pups were recorded across our county's beaches in 2022- and it's thought this will surge to well over 5000
The number of seal pups born on Norfolk's coast is expected to increase by at least 500 this year- says a local group
4,500 pups were recorded across our county's beaches in 2022- and it's thought this will surge to well over 5000
"Going up by 5 percent each year"
Peter Ansell, Chairman of Friends of Horsey Seals tells us when he joined the charity around 20 years ago, ‘we had less than 100 pups born at Horsey’, last year there ‘were around 4,500’ and this year ‘we are expecting to see over 5000’.
He explained that every year, the amount of pups that are born varies, ‘going up by 5 percent each year’.
Pupping season kicked off as usual this year but unfortunately Peter says they are ‘struggling against nature’ due to very high tides at Horsey beach which washed a lot of them away.
"Minimum of 10 metres away from them"
Horsey, Blakeney point and Winterton are the main places to visit the seals during pupping season.
You may wonder what makes seals love the Norfolk coastline so much. As it stands, there are no natural predators for the seals and there is plenty of fish for them to eat.
Friends of Horsey Seals is urging the public to stay a ‘minimum of 10 metres away from them’ and not to interfere. If you think a seal or pup may be sick or injured, contact the charity.