Mammals on the beach
Seals
Seals regularly haul out on our coast. They come ashore to digest their food, rest, sleep, feed their pups and socialise – this is part of their normal behaviour. Finding a seal on the beach does not mean there is necessarily a problem, and a healthy seal should be left well alone.
However, if you see a seal that may be abandoned, look thin or ill, please call British Divers Marine Life Rescue (British Divers Marine Life Rescue 24 hour telephone helpline – 01825 765 546) or the RSPCA (RSPCA national helpline – 0300 123 4999) for advice and assistance.
It is lovely to watch seals on our beaches and The Seal Alliance offer good advice in how to ‘watch seals well’ without disturbing their much-needed rest time.
Do
- Keep your distance. 100 metres is best or as much distance as you can. If you can see the seal clearly through your camera without using a zoom you are too close.
- Keep dogs under control and on a lead. Warn other dog walkers if a seal is nearby.
- Keep quiet and #respectthenap. Noise disturbs sleep patterns and can interrupt vital resting time.
Never
- Get too close to a seal
- Take a seal selfie
- Feed wild seals
- Scare seals or try to put pups back into the sea
- Approach a mum and her pup as mum could abandon the pup and not return.
For more information on how to enjoy the seals, see the national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code.
Cetaceans
Cetaceans is the group name for all whales, dolphins and porpoises. We are fortunate to have Bottle nose dolphins, harbour porpoise, minke whales and humpback whales living along or visiting our marine environment.
A whale, dolphin or porpoise stranded on the beach is not a normal occurrence. Cetaceans strand for many different reasons, sometimes by accident, sometimes due to injury or illness, any live cetacean that has stranded on the beach will require urgent and specialist assistance.
If you come across a live stranded cetacean. Please do not approach or touch the animal or try to return it to the sea as this may cause more harm. All cetacean strandings should be reported immediately to British Divers Marine Life Rescue (via the 24 hour telephone hotline 01825 765546) and they will offer advice, guidance and coordinate a specially trained, local rescue team.
Deceased cetaceans and seals
If you have any concerns – please contact your relevant local authority.
Sometimes whales, dolphins , porpoises and seals die out at sea or shortly after stranding on shore. If you come across a deceased small cetacean (dolphin, porpoise) or seal, most local authorities operate a ‘return to nature’ approach as part of the circle of life. This has great benefits for a large range of insects, birds and animals that will feed from the carcass, plus other nutrients are released into the soils and substrates as the animal decomposes. If the animal poses a health risk and the local authority are able to remove it form the beach, they will do so. This will depend upon location of the animal, equipment required, access to the beach and stability of the substrate.
For larger cetaceans – if the cetacean can ‘return to nature’ without posing a health risk or a public safety risk, it will remain on the beach. Often larger marine mammals will be both a health risk and a public safety risk so will either be buried on the beach or removed if possible. However, in the event of any concerns you should contact the relevant local authority.
Deceased cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) should also be reported to the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) telephone 0800 652 0333. Reporting deceased cetaceans helps us to improve our understanding of these magnificent animals and how the live in and use the marine environment.
All marine mammals are wild animals and therefore carry disease. If you do need to approach a marine mammal please do so with caution.