What is the current number of grey seal pups at Orford Ness?

This winter, 430 grey seal pups were recorded at Orford Ness, representing an 88% increase from the previous year.

Why has the grey seal colony at Orford Ness grown so rapidly?

The growth is attributed to healthy habitats, sufficient fish stocks, and the shingle ridge providing shelter from storms, creating a sustainable environment.

When did the grey seal colony first establish at Orford Ness?

The first adult seals arrived at Orford Ness in 2021, and it is now in its fifth consecutive year of successful breeding.

Home / Environment / Suffolk Seals Double: Colony Booms on Orford Ness

Suffolk Seals Double: Colony Booms on Orford Ness

19 Feb

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Summary

Grey seal births on Suffolk coast nearly doubled this winter.
Orford Ness recorded 430 pups, an 88% increase from last year.
Healthy habitats and fish stocks sustain the growing seal colony.

Suffolk Seals Double: Colony Booms on Orford Ness

Grey seal births on Suffolk's Orford Ness have seen a dramatic surge, with 430 pups recorded this winter, an 88% increase compared to the 2024-2025 season. This brings the total to the highest numbers observed since the colony's establishment in 2021. Rangers estimate the peak count included 803 adults and 430 pups.

The National Trust attributes this success to healthy habitats and sufficient fish stocks, which sustain the seals through winter, while the shingle ridge offers crucial shelter from storms. This marks the fifth consecutive year of successful breeding, indicating that some pups born this year were also born at Orford Ness.

Seals initially arrived in 2021, believed to have migrated from more populated colonies in Norfolk. Monitoring is conducted from a distance using telescopes and binoculars to avoid disturbing the wild animals, meaning counts are estimates. The site reopens to visitors on May 4, offering chances to see other wildlife, though direct seal viewing is limited to sightings along the coast.

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