Smores the pup starts seal stranding season

Smores the grey seal pup is recovering well after being rescued

Wildlife experts in Cornwall say they are preparing for a busy season of seal pup strandings this year.

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek received its first abandoned grey seal pup of the autumn at the end of August - later than last year.

The female pup was between four and five weeks old and was in a severely malnourished state, but is recovering well at the centre.

It is thought the fine weather in August delayed the start of the seal stranding season, but as the weather worsens, more pups are expected to end up needing help.

The seal pup has been named Smores as the Cornish Seal Sanctuary is using a dessert-based naming convention

Animal Care Specialist Bethan Goodridge from the Cornish Seal Sanctuary said the pup was rescued by British Divers Marine Life Rescue volunteers at Crackington Haven near Bude.

"She is eating for herself, she had her first swim today, she's doing really, really well," said Ms Goodridge.

"We were really lucky the first few weeks of August, the weather was really nice, really calm, so the pups that were being born had some nice weather to get their bearings and get through the first few weeks of life," she added.

"The storms that are hitting now, they are going to cause some problems for these really young pups, we have got a few around the coastline that we are keeping an eye on.

"We are expecting it to get more busy as the weather gets worse."

People who spot seal pups around the Cornish coast are being encouraged to stay at least 100m (330ft) away, keep dogs on leads and avoid disturbing pups and parents.

Ms Goodridge said: "When they're born, they are white and fluffy and they will basically spend three weeks on the beach.

"Mum will go away to feed and then come back every couple of hours to feed her pup and then leave again.

"Those few weeks are vital, they put on weight really quickly, so if people are getting too close to a pup because they think they're stranded or abandoned, then mum may just leave.

"She'll only come back if she thinks it's safe to do so - so it's vital that they stay together."

Every year staff at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary choose a different naming convention for the pups.

In 2023 it was actors - in 2024 it was insects - this year it is desserts, and that is why the tiny pup has been named Smores.