Atlantic Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus undergoing their annual moult on a Norfolk Beach Part 2

Опубликовано: 10 Май 2023
на канале: David Element

161

Atlantic Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus congregate each year on this Norfolk beach so that they can undergo their annual moult. The UK colonies contribute significantly to the world's population of these magnificent animals, some 1,905 of which had been counted during this gathering. This is the first of four consecutively shot films taken in April 2023. The degree of activity increased once the tide started to come in, causing the supine seals to wriggle further up the beach towards the photographer who was standing at a safe distance as these very large and heavy aquatic mammals can move quite rapidly when they want to. They are also equipped with fearsome teeth, so getting too close would be foolhardy! These animals may be delightful and highly entertaining to watch, but there is neither any need to encroach, nor to allow unleashed dogs to bother them. Disturbance causes the seals to use up their energy unnecessarily, and crush injuries may be caused to smaller individuals by the massive males if they are panicked. Several half-hearted fights between males were recorded, but no injuries appeared to have been caused and no blood was drawn.