Highest number of seal pups born as breeding season comes to a close

A historic number of grey seal pups has been documented at South Walney Nature Reserve as this years breeding season concludes. The Cumbria Wildlife Trust reported that at least 14 pups were born at the reserve near Barrow starting from late August.

The season has been described as unusually early, with over 563 seals observed at the site between September 2024 and March 2025. Alex Wright from the North West Wildlife Trusts called the event "truly special" and highlighted how remarkable it is to witness them in Cumbria.

Historically, the grey seal population at South Walney has grown from just a few individuals in the 1980s and 1990s. Typically, the pupping period runs from October to mid-November, but this years first pup was spotted on 31 August. This marks the eleventh consecutive year that pups have been recorded at Cumbria's sole breeding colony of grey seals.

The Cumbria Wildlife Trust has received special permission to operate drones at the reserve to assist with monitoring. Mr. Wright added that additional pups might still arrive. The youngest pups, aged under a month, appear very pale, almost white, before they begin moulting, growing larger, and eventually moving towards the sea.

Visitors are urged to maintain a safe distance of at least 100 meters (328 feet) from the pups to avoid disturbing them. Disturbances could cause adult seals to react, potentially endangering the young pups. Mr. Wright emphasized that observing the seals is a privilege and expressed delight in having them present in Cumbria.

Abi O'Leary, an intern at North West Wildlife Trusts, noted that surveying the seals can be challenging due to the strong smell from their fish diet. To provide safe viewing opportunities, the trust has set up a live seal camera for the public to watch the new pups without causing stress to the animals.

The trust continues to remind visitors to stay at least 100 meters away from the seals to protect both themselves and the pups. Seal monitoring at South Walney is carefully conducted to ensure the animals are unaware of human presence, maintaining their natural behavior.

Author: Sophia Brooks