Seal of approval: Cute seal pup appears to wave out to sea as hundreds of the animals gather on a tiny British island to give birth
- Grey seals have gathered on the Isle of Man to give birth to their pups
- More than a dozen have been born on the island so far this birthing season
- Britain's coastline is home to around half the world's grey seal population
By Sam Adams
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This playful young grey seal was pictured with a flipper raised in the air as it lay on rocks on the Isle of Man.
The shores of the island are set to become swamped with the seals over the coming weeks as this year's birthing season gets into full swing.
Britain is home to nearly half the world’s grey seal population - and the Isle of Man is one of their favourite places to rest and give birth.
Pleased to see you: This cute seal pup appeared to be waving to the camera when it was photographed on the Isle of Man. Pupping season is currently under way on the island
Cute: The pups keep their fluffy baby coats for around a month before developing waterproof adult versions
Babies: Pupping season typically runs between September and December, when pregnant females gather on the rocks surrounding the coast of the Isle of Man to give birth
Forty winks: It all seems to be too much like hard work for this seal pup, who decided to take a nap on the rocks
The seals have headed to the island for the annual birthing season this autumn and more than a dozen pups have already been born.
A large number of pregnant females lie on the rocks waiting to give birth - with this expected to be a bumper year for seal births.
Manx Wildlife Trust Marine Officer Eleanor Stone said: 'There must be something in the water.
'We’ve spotted at least 50 pregnant seals readying themselves to give birth on the Isle of Man coastline this year.'
The birthing season typically runs between September and December, when pregnant females gather on the rocks surrounding the coast to raise their young.
The pups are likely to stay on the island for up to a month while they grow strong enough to head out into the sea on their own.
Parental guidance: A seal mother keeps an eye on her pup as it takes a dip (left) while another mother and pup find time to share a tender moment (right)
Grey seals can reach up to 11 ft in length and weigh as much as 680 lb.
They live and breed in several colonies on and around the coasts of Britain and Ireland - including colonies in Lincolnshire, off the Northumberland Coast, Orkney and North Rona off the north coast of Scotland.
During the winter months grey seals can often be spotted on rocks and islands just off the coast and sometimes come ashore to rest.
Pups born in the eastern Atlantic have soft silky white fur which they keep for about a month.
They eventually swap this for denser, waterproof adult fur, and enter the sea to learn to fish for themselves.
Replies
Do they still kill baby seals? Can you IMAGINE what the mother feels like when her cub is clubbed to death RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER EYES???!!!
SEALED WITH LOVE...HELLO ACC MEMBERS ...i am glad to be on this site as it is so much fun