Common seals haul out on beaches and sandbanks to rest, thermoregulate and nurse pups, and human disturbance during these critical periods causes abandonment and pup mortality.
Seals disturbed during haul-out experience acute stress responses equivalent to predator attack. Lactating cows separated from pups may not reunite, leading to pup starvation. Pregnant or recently weaned seals denied adequate rest haul-out time face nutritional and thermal stress. Pups left alone on beaches are frequently collected by well-meaning members of the public when they should be left in place.