UK grey seals are the world's largest concentration, with welfare considerations spanning pup mortality, entanglement, shooting and ecotourism disturbance.
Pup separation from mothers during storms causes starvation and hypothermia - a major natural welfare harm. Shooting of adult seals by fisheries licences kills animals that may have dependent pups. Poorly managed wildlife watching at pupping colonies adds disturbance stress to naturally high-stress breeding period.