Last month, Marie came across this grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup following a period of stormy weather on a beach in Fair Isle where you wouldn’t normally expect to see pups. Grey seals do pup around Fair Isle, but they usually stick to more inaccessible rocky shore areas. However, when pups start to moult (as this one is), they become more mobile and can often be dislodged and end up in other areas, particularly during stormy weather.

Unlike harbour seals, grey seals in Shetland have their pups between October and November. When they are born, pups have white fluffy coats and generally can’t swim very well. They remain on land and are fully dependent on their mothers until they are weaned at approximately two weeks old, after which the mothers return to sea and leave the pups alone on the beaches. The pups then begin the moult into their adult coats and gradually disperse as they become more accustomed to swimming and fending for themselves.

Following the initial discovery of this grey seal pup in Fair Isle, it was monitored from a distance. As with observing any marine wildlife, it’s important to follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code to avoid disturbance.

To enjoy watching wildlife responsibly you can read the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code on NatureScot’s website here: https://www.nature.scot/…/scottish-marine-wildlife…

Marie Bruhat