The Beach Ward – or, the Importance of Giving Grey Seals Their Peace in Pupping Season

Before I begin: as a new contributor to the Seal Research Trust blogs, I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Benjamin Wright. I'm a freelance writer, editor, and passionate advocate for animal rights. I've recently celebrated my six-year vegan anniversary (for so many reasons, I've never felt better) and am joined today by our beloved rescue dog – a Belgian Malinois called Panther – as I type. I think he agrees with my self-assessment. He's become fascinated with a sock on the floor. I imagine that's proof of something.

But yes, I'm delighted to have the opportunity to write on behalf of seal conservation efforts in the UK and around the world. I'd like to extend my thanks to Sue for having me aboard!

For this post, I'd like to talk about recent – and troubling – trends around pupping season for grey seals. For those unfamiliar, 'pupping season' refers to the period of time in which pregnant grey seals swim to shore and give birth to new 'pups' (baby seals) before supervising their survival over a short period (up to twenty-one days); after which, the pup is weaned and left to fend for itself. Notably, this weaning period for pups is also when male grey seals (including the dominant males of established breeding sites, known as 'Beachmasters') will visit female grey seals to mate. As with mother seals feeding their pups, these male seals must carefully conserve their energies. Each must ensure a timely arrival and effective process in locating an ideal mate when visiting breeding sites. As with all living creatures – from initial fertilisation to eventual birth – this overall process represents a great commitment of time, energy and wellbeing for all parties involved.

Recently, the UK-based Seal Research Trust (SRT) has identified a significant shift in the timing of the grey seal pupping season. From 2010 - 2016, most pups observed were born in October - with peak pupping continuing into November. But from 2022 - 2024, the pupping season has consistently started in September (with some pups even being born in August). This brings attention to two issues: firstly, our climate change emergency continues to make life more difficult for animals, whose typical cycles (mating, births, migrations...you name it) are being impacted; secondly, the grey seal pupping season now aligns with peak tourist season.

This is where concerns around the effects of human contact on grey seals' survivability are brought painfully to the fore. Seals are easily-disturbed by human presence; moreso when they've recently given birth, since their natural instinct is to protect their newborn. In turn, the newborn relies entirely on its mother's presence for protection and food (the latter being a fat-rich milk produced by the mother; itself containing essential fats and vital antibodies to sustain a pup's life).

Any disturbance can disrupt feeding between mother and pup. Because the nursing window is so short, this can be fatal. Every time a mother perceives danger and prioritises protecting her pup or herself, this can lead to a missed feed (constituting 1% of the pup's overall nutrition from their mother). Leaving her pup behind (whose body may not yet boast full reserves of blubber for warmth and protection or developed musculature for effective mobility) makes it much more vulnerable to infant mortality from environmental hazards: starvation, difficult terrain or freak weather which, due to climate change, is becoming more common each year.

Compounding the impact of what seem like minor actions to most people (for example, walking too close to pups to take pictures – an 'insignificant disturbance' can do far more damage than many assume. Couple that with multiple people making the same mistake in a day...), a pup will naturally moult its long white fur coat (their lanugo coat) within its first twenty-one days. Heading into its first winter, said pup will have its distinctive grey coat; however, it will have to rely on fat reserves gained during time with its mother (as it has yet to fully grow and/or become an adept hunter) for warmth and sustenance. Should a pup in any way be deprived of these time-sensitive, necessary resources, it'll likely not see the new year.

As for prospective seal parents, it takes a great deal of energy to make it out of the water and up the beach; more still when a pup is born and raised. Due to the composition and richness of seal milk, feeding a single pup can reduce its mother's body weight by up to 40%. This is to say nothing of the Beachmasters, who are naturally inclined to remain in charge of their beach to continue mating with as many females as possible. As a result, Beachmasters lose a lot of weight themselves – to the extent that a Beachmaster may eventually leave their beach to other males in longer seasons, opting instead to find food to restore themselves. Those males taking their place must also expend significant energy to mate.

For wild grey seals, every bit of energy counts. If humans approach or interfere with seal breeding sites, the resulting panic among those seals present (stampeding, injuries and the unnecessary burning of vital calories on actions taken in a period of stress) could be fatal to a great many. Climate change is already hard enough for the seal population: if a freak storm washes a pup away from its mother, that pup will likely starve to death. And though it could seem extreme to say so, humans can – to a smaller, though potentially just as deadly degree – have the same effect, just by accidentally disturbing a breeding site. The end result is the same: another seal pup dies as a result of our mistakes.

So what can we do?
As with climate change, we can make better decisions. We can take the issue seriously: while we don't see the short-term effects of our respective carbon footprints, many of us still choose to work towards reducing ours for a good reason. In the same way, we can listen to the advice of those who tell us of our significant, long-term impact on seals – even via seemingly minor actions. We can pass this information on; help others to understand, too.

We can acknowledge the power of our presence. This means always giving seals space – 100m+ away on land and 200m+ if in the water. It means using binoculars or long zoom lenses when seal-watching. And it means being cautious: should a seal look at you, you're too close. Back away slowly.

We can stick to human-made paths. Keep noise and smells at a minimum. The key is to live alongside nature: to respect space and autonomy.

And all of this forms the foundation of the following proposal: namely, that we should start treating beaches where pupping takes place like we would treat labour wards for babies. Seal pups are incredibly cute – and so are (most) human babies – but would you sprint into a neonatal intensive care unit to take selfies with infants recovering there? Of course not – the fact you're still reading this post on a seal conservation charity blog, means you almost definitely wouldn't! But more people should know: the same respect we give to people's offspring in difficult circumstances should also be true for seals. Their circumstances are always difficult – especially where we're concerned. And as affecting in the long-term: a pregnant grey seal, disturbed by humans in the summer, may not be able to gain enough weight to sustain herself during the feeding of her pup. As a result, neither may survive the winter ahead.

Seals – grey, harbour, or of any seal species – need their peace. While I think most people want to interact with seals, take pictures with them, etc. without ill intent in their minds, ignorance is dangerous here – and the more educated we are on seal welfare, the more chances we'll have to see them thrive; to protect future generations of seals for us to enjoy! Which is to say, let nature be – and it will always be there.

Benjamin