What to do if you find a seal on a beach in Dorset

Earlier this week a seal had to be cordoned off by Purbeck’s police officers while it sunbathed on Durdle Door beach. 

Officers joked on social media they were putting a ‘seal on crime’ while the large, male grey seal relaxed on the pebbles. 

Now Lulworth estate’s rangers have issued advise to residents and visitors who could come across the mammal on a beach. 

Seal taped off on Durdle Door beach (Image: Purbeck Police)

They said: “Recently we've been lucky enough to see a large, male grey seal at Durdle Door beach. One of the two species of seal which are native around our coasts. The other being the common seal. 

“If you encounter a seal along the coast please follow these rules in order to keep you and the seal safe.” 

It includes: 

• Stay well away and use a camera zoom or binoculars for a better view 
• Keep dogs on a lead 
• Never feed seals 
• Take all litter home 
• Do not seek out encounters with seals in the water 

There are two species of seal native to UK waters – grey seals and common (or harbour) seals – and both can be found in Dorset. 

They are highly mobile marine mammals, capable of covering hundreds of kilometres and remaining at sea for days at a time, according to Dorset Wildlife Trust. 

Seals will often come ashore – known as hauling out - which involves simply resting and to also aid digestion. 

But at certain times of the year, they will spend longer periods of time on land such as during the moulting and breeding seasons. 

Dorset Wildlife Trust said: “Although seals do not have any natural predators in Dorset, they face increasing pressures from environmental and human-based sources. 

“Climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events and affecting prey availability and distribution; people getting too close to seals leads to disturbance and marine litter poses a risk of entanglement.”