With seal pups normally born between August and November, Swansea's coastline is often dotted with sweet baby seals during the autumn months. Sadly, several dead seals and pups have been found on Gower beaches of late and reported to Gower Seal Group.
A Facebook post by the volunteer-led group urges people who find dead seals or pups on beaches to report it to the Marine Stranding Network for Wales on 0800 652 0333 or visit its website. The group also advises contacting British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825 765 546 or the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 if you find a seal that causes concern (a live seal which is coughing, has obvious wounds, or is very thin should be reported).
In another Facebook post, the group explained that the mortality rate of seal pups in the first 18 months of their life was high at around 75 per cent. A spokesperson from the Gower Seal Group said last year that many grey seal pups died during pupping season because they were nursed by their mothers for just three weeks before they had to fend for themselves. These young pups starve if they do not learn how to fish and feed themselves. You can read more stories about Swansea here.
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Windy weather can also cause them to get washed up on the shore and adult seals also get washed up by prolonged winds, causing more deaths, explained the Gower Seal Group volunteer. It is advised not to try and rescue the seal yourself, never to put the seal back in the sea and to keep a distance from the seal while keeping any dogs away. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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