Suffolk's first grey seal colony has become established at Orford Ness as hundreds of the creatures have made its beach home over the last three years.
The first sign of the colony came during the winter of 2021/22 when about 200 adult grey seals were seen there.
Orford Ness had been closed to visitors because of the Covid pandemic and there was even less disturbance than usual. Rangers counted 25 pups.
Last winter more arrived and there were 65 pups born.
This year there have been up to 500 grey seals seen at Orford Ness and 130 pups have been born. National Trust Rangers are now sure a new colony has been established.
It looks like a good place for the seals - it is isolated from human disturbance. Orford Ness is closed to the public during the winter when the seals give birth and it is very difficult to reach the part of the beach the seals call home.
And the survival rate for the seals is very good - about 90% of the pups make it into the water after their birth.
The small number who don't then provide a meal for some of the other creatures that use Orford Ness, especially gulls and crows.
Matt Wilson, Countryside Manager for the National Trust in Suffolk said: “The first 200 adult seals arrived at the site in 2021, after an extended period of closure due to the pandemic, when visitor access was significantly reduced.
"Since then, numbers have increased year-on-year as the colony has established.”
“Although grey seals can often be spotted in the waters around Suffolk, we believe this to be the county’s first breeding colony.”
Global numbers are estimated to be around 300,000, with British and Irish waters supporting around 40 per cent of the world’s grey seal population.
In the wild, female grey seals, known as cows, can live for 30-35 years, while males live for about 20-25 years. Cows have their first pups between the ages of three and five and usually return to the same place each year to give birth.
Matt added: “Our ranger team have been carrying out weekly seal counts since the beginning of October. In that time, we’ve averaged over 250 adults and have sometimes seen up to 500.
“Our first two seal pups with their iconic ‘white coats’ were counted on 20 November. Two weeks later, this had increased to over 70 and our most recent count showed 130.”
The breeding season for grey seals runs from October to March, which is when Orford Ness is closed to visitors, and as a result any disturbance has been kept to a minimum.
The countryside continued: “Part of the reason we think the colony has established itself here is the remote nature of the site and lack of disturbance, and of course we want that to continue.
"We also believe it’s a sign of healthy numbers of grey seals along the Eastern coastline, as numbers are likely spilling over from well-populated colonies at Blakeney Point, also cared for by the National Trust, as well as Horsey Gap.
“We understand that people will want to see the colony now they know it’s here, but it’s important we continue to limit disturbance, to give the pups the best chance of survival.
"It’s possible we may be able to offer some form of guided access next winter, to ensure people keep a safe distance from the colony, but for now, we’re asking people to refrain from visiting out of season and to avoid using drones or other aerial equipment in the area."
Throughout the 20th century secrecy surrounded Orford Ness as it was used for defence purposes. The arrival of the seals has been just its latest secret!
Glen Pearce, Orford Ness’ Property Operations Manager said: “For decades, people and nature have co-existed on Orford Ness, sharing the space, and now the growing grey seal colony has become part of that story.
“Since the seals’ arrival in 2021, our team of volunteers and staff have monitored the seals from a distance, keeping the growing seal colony a secret.
"This has helped to keep these vulnerable wild animals protected at a crucial stage of their development.
"However, the colony has now grown to a size where we can’t keep them secret anymore, and we want to share this amazing wildlife story with our supporters."
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