10 seal pubs born on South Walney Nature Reserve this season

There were 10 seal pups born on the reserve, and over 400 adults visited the area to rest, breed and moult over the winter months. 

This season was called a 'challenging one' despite ten new pups (Image: Living Seas North West)

However, a spokesperson from the trust said that there 'high levels of disturbance to the colony during the key pupping months,' greater than usual numbers of adults and pups washed up dead, high winds which prevented the trust from flying a drone on over a third of the surveys, and the position of the colony this year made the seals harder to count from land. 

The spokesperson added: "We won't be doing any surveys now until September to avoid disturbing ground nesting birds such as oystercatchers, terns and ringed plovers that use the spit at South Walney Nature Reserve."

An overhead view of the seal colony (Image: Cumbria Wildlife Trust)

These are the latest figures on the grey seal colony after the last season: 

• 1st pup spotted on October 6, the last spotted on 20 November. 
• 56 pups since 2015.
• Average of 6 pups per year, with a maximum of 10 in 2017 and 2023. 
• Most common behaviour: asleep or relaxed
• 413 seals counted from drone, 223 counted from land (in 2023-24)

The nature reserve is home to the only grey seal colony in Cumbria. The site covers 130 hectares, but public access is only allowed on the marked paths with no route to the beach or the seal colony. 

At the beginning of the season the trust urged the public to keep a minimum distance of 200 metres away from the colony, including boats and kayakers. 

According to the Wildlife Trusts, on average, grey seals live for between 30-40 years, and they are protected under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. 

Their pubs stay on land until they lose their white coats and treble their body weight. 

The can be distinguished from the common seal by their larger size and longer head with a sloping 'roman nose' profile.