Harbour seals haul out on beaches and rocks to rest, thermoregulate, and pup. Human disturbance at haul-out sites causes welfare harms including pup abandonment and chronic stress responses.
Harbour seal welfare at haul-out sites is directly affected by human behaviour. Seals flushed into the water by approaching humans or dogs lose essential resting time needed for thermoregulation and recovery. Nursing mothers flushed repeatedly may abandon pups. The pup welfare impact is acute: abandoned pups require intensive rehabilitation lasting weeks to months before release. Chronic disturbance at popular beaches has measurable population-level effects through reduced pupping success. Marine pollution — plastic entanglement causes injury and drowning, while chemical contamination from PCBs and other persistent pollutants affects immune function and reproduction. Maintaining appropriate distances at haul-out sites, keeping dogs on leads, and educating beach visitors are the most immediately impactful welfare interventions.