Adorable baby seals are currently being born on Welsh beaches.
And with so much wildlife around us in Wales it would be a shame not to take the time to observe it.
We have used expert advice to recommend the best way to observe the natural world without disturbing it.
Where can you see them?
Hundreds of seals live on the Pembrokeshire coast and between August and December they settle onto a few select beaches to have their babies.
The best places to see them are on the beaches of the Marloes Peninsula and Skomer Island, Ramsey, and remote parts of the north Pembrokeshire coast.
Of the 395 pups born in 2017 a total of 154 were born on the Marloes Peninsula. You can read an in-depth study into seal numbers in Wales here.
How can you tell a pup's age?
Like many animals seal pups change dramatically in their early days where they need to treble their weight within the first three weeks.
Use the pictures below to work out the ages of the pups you are looking at.
Their body shape is thin and their neck is well-defined with skin in loose folds around their body. Their coat may be stained yellowish and their movements are rather uncoordinated.
At this point they have a smoother outline and the neck is still visible but there will be no loose folds on the body. Their coat is whiter and they are very vocal.
Their body rounded is rounded or barrel-shaped. Their neck not visible and they have a white coat.
They are shaped like seals in class three but the patches of white fur have moulted (fallen out and been replaced by an adult coat). They are weaned or nearly weaned.
Their white has fur fully moulted and they will lose some weight after weaning. By this stage they have often moved away from the breeding area.
What are the best tactics for getting close?
According to Natural Resources Wales this is what you need to do:
- Keep as still, quiet, and inconspicuous as possible
- If viewing from the cliffs above keep low and take care not to cast your shadow on the beach below
- Never approach seals close up
Warning! If disturbed mothers will keep away and the pups will miss feeds. Sometimes the mother may become aggressive or may even abandon her pup. Never approach.
