Seal Counts

The data collected is invaluable because the world population of around 300,000 grey seals, it’s estimated more than forty per cent live around UK shores. The weekly numbers we record during the breeding season are an important indicator whether our seal population is stable, increasing or declining.

During the breeding season the eleven members of our seal count team compile a weekly report. The count takes place on two days in a week between the beginning of November and the end of January. They start at sunrise and record the number of seals and pups between each groyne from Waxham to Winterton using clickers.

The data collected is sent to the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University who use it in many aspects of marine studies including population trends, the health of fish stocks, the cleanliness of the sea and identifying the sources of pollutants. FoHS also uses the numbers to update our FoHS noticeboards at both sites. They’re useful because they let us compare year on year changes in the population coming ashore.

Each week Friends of Horsey seals have two teams of counters who walk the beaches at Horsey and Winterton to count the numbers of adult Grey seals and pups on the beach that week.

Here we post the figures for adult seals, along with a breakdown of the newborn pups, those suckling and sadly those pups that have died. This is a natural part of their breeding season, as with human babies a certain amount will die from natural causes, such as stillbirth, but along with that our cows and pups face the continual threat from people who get too close and frighten the mothers away. In most cases the mother will abandon her pup leading to their certain death.

If you are visiting during the pupping season please be responsible around the seals, they are undoubtedly a magnificent sight to see, but we must respect them during their breeding season to guarantee their survival.

Please be aware Grey seals are protected by law from disturbance during their breeding season.

Official Seal Count for Friends of Horsey Seals: Week 5 (5th December 2024)