FOHS - SEAL AID ORGANIZATION

“They are truly brilliant and have kept our feet lovely and warm and dry over the last few months, thank you.”

from Peter Ansell, Chairman FoHS

The British Isles hosts some 40% of the world’s population of Atlantic Grey Seals, some 5,000 of whom make up a colony stretching from Waxham to Winterton and which our charity, Friends of Horsey Seals, looks after primarily during the pupping season from November through to early February.

The females come ashore to give birth to pups that are born weighing some 12-15 kgs. She then feeds her babies for 18-21 days until they are some 40-45 kgs. The pup is then abandoned by its mother who returns to the sea and usually mates with one or more males on the way.

Julie Rose + Barry Williams Photography

The pup remains on the shore for a further three weeks until it has shed its white fur and grown a waterproof coat of hair.

It is extraordinarily important that the seals are not disturbed by people or dogs during this period, and we therefore rope off the beach and direct the public to designated viewing areas.

Friends of Horsey Seals have some 350+ volunteers and an overarching Committee of members, all of whom are unpaid – we are primarily funded by public donation.

20 years ago the colony was tiny, with less than 100 pups being born. Since the onset of stewarding then, the numbers have risen dramatically each year, and last season saw over 2,500 pups born.