Charity backs call for resting seal protection

A charity, the Seal Research Trust, is supporting a campaign for stricter legal protection for seals, citing human disturbance as detrimental to their health and welfare. The UK Seal Alliance has urged the government to classify intentionally disturbing seals as an offense under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Trust founder Sue Sayers explained that seals frequently resting on beaches often face disturbances from people, leading to stress, injuries, and sleep deprivation.

Under current legislation, it is illegal to take, injure, capture, or kill a seal. Sayers emphasized that seals require sleep similar to humans, and disturbances can cause panic, stampedes, or falls into the sea, resulting in severe injuries. The campaign stems from concerns about the "hidden cost" of disturbance, which can negatively impact seals' immune systems, hormone levels, and recovery abilities between feeding trips.

Sayers expressed particular alarm about this year's seal pup season, describing it as one of the worst on record. Over half of the recorded seal pups were dead or dying, which she attributed, in part, to climate change altering breeding patterns. The trust advises anyone encountering a seal to maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters, refrain from sharing the animal's location on social media, and avoid feeding or moving the animal.

In May, the UK Seal Alliance launched its "Give Seals Space" campaign, urging the government to reconsider previous recommendations and grant the two species the necessary legal protection. The campaign warns that seals are highly sensitive to disturbances from humans, animals, and drones, which can lead to long-term health consequences, such as pup abandonment, wasted energy from constant alertness, and injuries from panicked fleeing.