Seals

Familiar around our shoreline, the comical, fun-loving common and grey seals are always a welcome sight but have a wary eye for us two legged mammals in case we venture to close.

Vilified by fishermen due to their voracious appetites, these oversized blobs of lard are actually protected by the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 but unregulated hunting is a persistent problem.

The male grey or horsehead seal can weigh in at an impressive 800lbs, while the smaller common or harbour seal hits the scales at 300lbs. Rare visitors to our shores are the ringed, hooded and harp seal. Love them or hate them, for me, they are a joy to see.

Seals pictured above were photographed on Goodwin Sands.

Goodwin Sands Conservation Trust – help save the sands!