Grey seals are the UK's largest carnivore, with significant pupping colonies on remote beaches and islands, where welfare challenges arise from human disturbance and climate-related habitat changes.
Grey seal pups face welfare challenges from both disturbance and environmental factors. Human disturbance of pupping beaches causes mothers to flee into the sea, abandoning their pups. Abandoned pups that miss nursing sessions lose condition rapidly, as the critical three-week nursing period provides all the fat reserves the pup will need for weeks of post-weaning independence. Storm events during pupping wash small pups off beaches, causing drowning or separation from mothers. Climate change increasing storm frequency during the November-January pupping season creates welfare emergencies at colony level. Dog disturbance, walker disturbance, and drone flights at pupping beaches cause welfare harm even when mothers appear to tolerate approach.