Grey seals are the UK's largest breeding land mammal and face welfare challenges from entanglement, human disturbance at pupping beaches, and pollution.
Grey seal pups are extremely vulnerable during their 3-week nursing period. Disturbance that separates pups from mothers before adequate fat reserves are built leads to starvation. The UK's large grey seal population means that individual welfare events at pupping beaches are ecologically significant at population scale. Tourism pressure at pupping sites requires careful management to balance public access with pup welfare needs.