2000 Grey seal pups were born this year at the Donna Nook nature reserve in Lincolnshire which is a record and cause for celebration.
The adults arrive from the end of November each year to give birth and mate then leave once the pups are weaned. The pups lie there waiting to be fed on their mother's rich milk and roll around on the beach until they are ready to form groups and head for the open sea. It is a brave step for the young pups to set off on their first journey in the cold grey north sea. They begin their swims to feeding grounds such as Dogger bank or even the north coast of Scotland. How they navigate I cannot imagine, but they will return when ready to mate and give birth to offspring of their own in future years.
One in every 200 or so births a black rather than white seal pup is born and I was lucky enough to photograph a black pup. After a few weeks the pups moult and lose their white or black fur to turn mottled grey, brown or black.
It must be one of the best wildlife spectacles in the UK. We are privileged to see nature in the raw. Sometimes fights between the males break out and pups have to fear for their lives incase they are inadvertently crushed by a warring male.
The pups come right up to the fence to stare at the nature watchers with big doleful eyes. I am amazed how responsive they are when you talk to them, they seem to enjoy seeing us as much as we enjoy seeing them. The fence is to keep us out by the way, not the seals in. I find it interesting and touching that the seal pups often congregate near the fence. They cannot be fed or stroked which is strictly prohibited, so must be just very curious to see us, and perhaps feel safer away from the mating action.
It is a wonderful place to visit, I was so grateful to be told of it's existence by a fellow nature lover on a wild life tour so I thought I will share the secret with you also. As long as people are responsible, not bringing dogs and keeping very quiet etc, they can share the magic.
Seeing nature close up is incredible and this is really nature at close quarters. The experience will raise your mood and help defeat depression and anxiety. Fund raising or volunteering at reserves or just joining the World wildlife fund or the RSPB etc does such alot to preserve species such as the Grey seal around our coasts.
Kim
