New pups for England's largest seal colony !
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The first pup was spotted six days later than last season
England's largest grey seal colony has welcomed brand new pups!
The first baby was first spotted at Blakeney Point in Norfolk on 29 October, six days later than last season, and a further five pups have been counted since.
The latest adorable introductions to Blakeney Point come more than 30 years after the first pup was born all the way back in 1988.
Since them, the number of seals in the colony, which is looked after by the National Trust, has grown. There were just 25 pups in 2001 compared to a whopping 4,000 in 2020!
There are believed to have been 4,000 pups at Blakeney Point last year
The numbers look set to grow further still, with rangers anticipating the arrival of around 4,500 more pups at Blakeney Point this season.
So why are there so many grey seals in Norfolk?
A spokesperson from the National Trust said it's believed the lack of natural predators and low levels of disturbance and deaths during the first few weeks of life for the baby seals have led to the significant increase in their numbers.
Did you know that female grey seals typically live to around 35 years old?
They have their first pup between the ages of about three and five years old. Once they've had their first baby, they return to the same place each year to give birth - how cool is that!
It's estimated there are around 300,000 seals globally, and roughly 40% of the grey seal population live in British and Irish waters.
Until a few years ago, pups were counted individually by rangers and volunteers who walked carefully through the colony. However, the community of seals at Blakeney has now become so large that it's become almost impossible to record the number of pups precisely.
From last year, the number of new-borns and weaned pups - which will have moulted their white fur but will be much smaller than the adults - were recorded in just one area to help provide a picture of the overall size of the colony.
Grey seals may look very cute, but they can become dangerous if threatened!
"We're really proud to announce the birth of the first pup of the season, it's always a special moment in our year," said Chris Bielb who is the countryside manager for the National Trust on the North Norfolk Coast.
"Our job now over the coming weeks is to try to ensure that the seals remain undisturbed so that they can give birth in peace, and to ensure they don't abandon their pups which would mean that they wouldn't survive."
Despite their cute appearance, the Natural Trust have stressed the importance of people not getting too close to the animals as they can become unfriendly.
"Seals are wild animals and can be dangerous, particularly if they feel threatened.
"We therefore ask visitors to keep their distance.
"Bring binoculars to help you see the seals better."
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