'Well over' 2,000 grey seal pups born on Norfolk beach as police deter visitors
Telegraph, 10 Jan 2021
More than 2,000 grey seal births have been recorded at Horsey Gap in Norfolk during its annual pupping season.
The births come as police have been patrolling the area to deter visitors during the national lockdown.
Seal protection charity Friends of Horsey Seals estimated that “well over 2,000” seal pups have been born this season, which stretches from November to January.
“We suspended counting when the Covid restrictions made it impossible for our counters, so we don’t have a complete figure this year,” Jane Bowden, a warden and trustee for the charity, told the PA news agency.
Ms Bowden explained that the charity is made up of hundreds of volunteers from around the country. However, due to coronavirus restrictions, only local volunteers are now able to help patrol the beach.
“This has been a really tough year for us,” she told PA. “We couldn’t just abandon the seals.”
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The births come as police have been patrolling the area to deter visitors during the national lockdown.
Seal protection charity Friends of Horsey Seals estimated that “well over 2,000” seal pups have been born this season, which stretches from November to January.
“We suspended counting when the Covid restrictions made it impossible for our counters, so we don’t have a complete figure this year,” Jane Bowden, a warden and trustee for the charity, told the PA news agency.
Ms Bowden explained that the charity is made up of hundreds of volunteers from around the country. However, due to coronavirus restrictions, only local volunteers are now able to help patrol the beach.
“This has been a really tough year for us,” she told PA. “We couldn’t just abandon the seals.”
Subscribe to The Telegraph on YouTube ► https://bit.ly/3idrdLH
Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
