Regional news
A grey seal pup born on the Beaulieu River is believed to be the first of its kind in Hampshire waters.
The Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour team has been working with Natural England, the Seal Alliance, British Divers Marine Life Rescue and Wild New Forest Guided Tours to protect the pup from any disturbance by river users.
This native wild species has naturally colonised on the river. Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said: “Grey seals don’t usually breed in these waters and we believe it is the first pup to survive here. We would like to thank our river users for acting responsibly and helping us to keep the seal pup safe and undisturbed during its all-important first month.”
Seal pups triple in weight from 10kg to 40kg in their first three weeks, and white fur is replaced by a shorter, patterned coat. A third of the world’s grey seals live in the UK, with 88% in Scotland.