'Happy and healthy' grey seal pup spotted at south Cumbria nature reserve more than a month early

A "happy and healthy" grey seal pup has been spotted at a nature reserve in South Cumbria a month and a half early.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust say the fluffy, white pup was first seen on their seal cam on Friday 27 August at South Walney Nature Reserve, near Barrow-in-Furness.

The breeding season usually starts in mid-October, and lasts until the end of November.

Conservationists are unsure why the female grey seal has given birth so early.

Dr Emily Baxter, Senior Marine Conservation Officer, said: “This is very exciting and unexpected news!

"After one of us spotted a pup on our seal cam we went down to the nature reserve with our binoculars to confirm the surprising news.

"Sure enough, we saw it with its mum and a male. All looked happy and healthy and the pup was feeding well.”

The mother seal has not bred on South Walney before, but Dr Baxter thinks her timing could be down to the good weather we have been having.

Dr Baxter continues: “It could also be an indicator that there has been lots of food around for the seals this summer and that the female’s body is in a good condition to be able pup, and maybe even taking advantage of the good weather at the moment, as female grey seals don’t feed much while nursing their pups."

Conservationists also say that it is possible that pupping season is being extended due to wider environmental factors such as climate change.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust say the young pup is extremely vulnerable to disturbance, which would cause the mother to abandon it and the pup to starve.

For this reason, there is strictly no access to the area of the nature reserve where the seal pup is, and so it is not possible to view the pup at South Walney Nature Reserve.

Those keen to see the pup are encouraged to keep an eye on the seal cam for a close-up view.