First grey seal pup of 2024 is born at Orford Ness

Earlier this year, the National Trust announced that Orford Ness had become the home of Suffolk’s first breeding colony of grey seals, after steady increases were recorded in the number of grey seal pups being born there.

During the 2023-2024 breeding season, which runs between October and March and during which the site is closed to visitors, over 130 pups were born at the remote shingle spit.

Matt Wilson, Countryside Manager for the Suffolk and Essex Coast portfolio at the National Trust, says: “We’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this year’s seal pups. Since October, our team have been avidly monitoring the shores of the Ness from a safe distance and performing regular counts of the adult seals, with some records showing over 200 adults.

“The first pup has arrived around a week earlier than last year, which is something we’ve observed in rookeries elsewhere in the UK.”

Global numbers of grey seals are estimated to be around 300,0001, with British and Irish waters supporting around 40 per cent of the world’s grey seal population. In the wild, female grey seals, known as cows, can live for 30-35 years, whilst males live for about 20-25 years. Cows have their first pups between the ages of three and five and usually return to the same place each year to give birth.

Typically, pups weigh around 13kg at birth and are covered in a thick white coat. Unlike their common seal cousins, which are born through the summer months and can swim within just a few hours, this coat keeps them warm but isn’t actually waterproof, which puts them at risk of drowning.

Pups feed six times a day for up to 10 minutes at a time, drinking fatty, nutrient-rich milk from their mothers, and are weaned at around three to four weeks, after they’ve shed their white coat through a process known as moulting. By this time, their weight has increased to between 45 and 50kg.

Matt continues: “Understandably, this is a crucial stage of the seals’ development. To give them the best chance of survival, we limit access to the colony and monitor them only from a safe distance.

“While the rangers on Orford Ness have undertaken specialist training for monitoring seal health, welfare and even rescue, we still take the lead from the experts, such as the RSPCA and BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue), and won’t get closer than a couple of hundred meters.”

Although grey seals can often be spotted in the waters around Suffolk, the breeding colony at Orford Ness is thought to be the county’s first – owing, in part, to its remote location, restricted access and very limited disturbance.

Orford Ness is a former 20th century military testing site which has been left to nature. Its abundance of wildlife includes several species of nesting and wading birds, hares, Chinese Water Deer and precious vegetated shingle.

The first 200 adult seals arrived at the site in 2021, when visitor access was significantly reduced after an extended period of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, National Trust rangers have recorded an increase in numbers as the colony has grown.

Disturbance, which can include any human activity, is one of the biggest threats to grey seals on UK shores as it can cause them to change their natural behaviour.

Glen Pearce, Orford Ness’ Property Operations Manager says: “We’re really happy to see new pups being born here at Orford Ness for the fourth consecutive year.

“Despite the seals’ arrival in 2021, we held off talking about them until earlier this year because we wanted to give them the best chance of survival. Being able to talk about them this year, in real time, is a great opportunity to share more about the species and to help people understand how their own actions and behaviours can impact them.

“Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing still and moving images from the colony – all recorded from a safe distance – as well updates on the number of pups and observations from our weekly counts.

In the meantime, we’re asking people to refrain from visiting out of season and to avoid using drones or other aerial equipment in the area. It’s important people remember that unauthorised access, by foot, boat or drone, is not only illegal, but also dangerous because of the unique and remote nature of the former military site.

“We really hope visitors will continue to work with us to help protect the colony, which is such a brilliant wildlife success story for Suffolk.”