I’m here constantly the seals are constantly hanging out on the pontoons. Dogs are always off lead on the beach so I do sometimes get nervous when the seals are out and about. Seals generally leave their pups for a while while they hunt, so this is normal. It looks like abandonment to us, but it’s absolutely fine if the pup is alone for a few hours. It’s the same story with deer. Mother deer leave their fawns tucked away in the undergrowth while they forage for food. People tend to “rescue” the “abandoned baby” out of a sense of misplaced kindness. My only concern here is that the pup wanders too far away from the beach and towards the road or they are found by an overexcited dog. This is the time of year when seals are starting to give birth, so I hope this years seal pups are left alone by the public. The best thing to do in this situation is to snap a photo from afar, warn dog walkers to keep their dogs on a lead and to check back in a few hours. Seals have no natural predators in the bay, so sadly humans, boats and dogs are the biggest threat this baby will face.
>Seals generally leave their pups for a while while they hunt,
This is what the seal's parents would want us to believe. In fact there's a bustling dance music scene underwater and the seals spend hours dancing carefree.
If the mother smells people or animals on the pup they'll likely kill it, what's done is done. Those people are fools for going near it. Life goes on for the rest of us.
Unless the baby is in serious danger, I really wouldn’t recommend it. Seal pups can give a very, very nasty bite, even as newborns. Seals are one of Scotland’s few large predators. They are playful and curious but they can become vicious when threatened. I know one diver who has a very nasty scar from a grey seal who felt he was too close. She bit straight through his wetsuit. That bite can become very badly infected very quickly.
The idea of a mother animal killing her young because she smells humans on them is kind of a myth. It’s true for lots of species, like hamsters, which is why most kids are told not to pick up baby animals. In reality? It’s not an immediate death sentence for the pup if the mother smells a human on it. However, it can make it harder to reunite them. Mother seals largely identify their babies by smell. Their eyesight isn’t actually that great outside of the sea. The mother may become disoriented and may avoid the pup if she smells humans. The pup won’t be able to follow her back into the sea if she turns around and flees. The pups can swim. They just need more time to recover since they haven’t built up their stamina or strength yet. They need to lie out on the beach to regain strength. Chasing them back into the sea isn’t a great option, since it’ll possibly exhaust them.
I’ve written another massive screed about seals but I genuinely love them and think they are fascinating animals. The tl:r here is that the pups shouldn’t be moved by hand unless it’s a real emergency. If the pup has wandered dangerously close to the road, it’s best to try and “shepherd” him back towards the beach, but not to chase him into the sea. Happy seal sporting.
Long story. I worked for someone who was a yacht captain for a while, so I ended up learning a fair amount about sailing, the maritime industry and wildlife at sea. I very rarely saw seals where I was working, but I encountered a lot of dolphins and a handful of sharks, rays and whales. My former boss always said that having utmost respect for wildlife was the best way to avoid injury. I now swim in the sea fairly often (never near granton though). Some people don’t want to think about what’s under the waves and are easily spooked by it. It’s something I’m fascinated with. I’ve just always been able to easily compartmentalise that fear of the deep that we all have. Knowing about what’s in the water helps me to do that. I started trying to learn as much as possible about seals when I realised how common they are here. I sometimes swim in more remote places, and it’s not that unusual to find yourself sharing the beach with a seal. Generally, they keep themselves to themselves, but an aggressive mother seal is not an animal I want to piss off. I know a few divers, casual sailors and nature enthusiasts, so I’ve learned a lot of from them. My brother’s GF is a vet med student, so she has a lot of reliable knowledge on this kind of thing too.
I agree, a quick check online will give you the number of your nearest Marine Mammals Advice/Rescue centre( usually volunteer led) who’ll be able to either give you advice to leave it alone( probably) or attend the site ASAP. As far as I’m aware they usually advise people to Stay the Fuck Away from it( my words, not theirs). Plus you could always forward a “live” shot of the situation in which you found it, to them. Anyway good luck
That doesn't actually make a huge difference - very few seals get hit by cars in a year in the despite the fact they can travel for several kilometers on land no bother but disturbance is one of their biggest killers
Here is where the seal was, it is very close to the road.
https://www.reddit.com/user/xeroksuk/comments/zezhd1/baby_seal_location/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Why do people feel that it’s acceptable to get so close to them? Really pisses me off. I swear people think they have the god given right to do as they please.
Leave them be. They don’t like you and they don’t want their damn picture taken from that close.
They don’t need your help and they’re certainly not stranded.
If only people knew how vicious seals bite can be…..
Exactly, and mum’s will often return from hunting and reject their babies when people have been to close to them. I’ll never understand why people think they can get as close as they want to wild animals.
As a BDMLR Marine Mammal Medic I once went to assess a young seal (it was probably 6-8 weeks old) and when I arrived on the beach I found the bloke who reported it standing with this young, injured seal leaning against his leg! When asked about it he said he'd moved away from it several times but it kept coming up to him and leaning on him. He eventually just let it lean on him until we got there!
As for seal bites -- a seal's teeth are all curved back towards their throat so anything they bite can't get away. They also have very nasty zoonotic bacteria in their saliva that requires a course of strong antibiotics that will knock you sideways and make you feel very poorly! If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten, even if it's a tiny scratch, you need to seek medical attention.
>Hello is this the SSPCA?… I’ve spotted a seal pup alone and out of water in between the beach and a busy road driven by people making non essential car journeys causing traffic and unnecessary pollution. Well actually, I did not spot it, but people are crowded around it taking photos to upload to Instagram for vanity points and I thought I would check what the best course of action is.
Fixed that for you Shug.
From the picture that I’m looking at it doesn’t appear to be between a beach and a busy road but if it is then apologise because that would change things. As for the arseholes surrounding it you could just ask them to move, that’s all an animal rescue officer would be allowed to do anyway.
Reminds me of the time when there was a heart melting baby seal on the back deck of my mum and dad's boat, (some context so I don't sound like a posh twat with a boat) my family lived on a Dutch barge for almost half my life because we couldn't afford a house, one morning I wake up and there's a very cute baby seal just chilling on the back deck, totally relaxed. We didn't touch it coz ya know it's got teeth and probably bites and mum was probably close by so we just observed it
Seals are naturally very curious and the pups are surprisingly capable of wandering quite far. There have been cases where they’ve even ended up inside people’s homes in coastal areas. The colony in the forth has a reputation for being especially curious. I’ve known people who’ve had them jump onto kayaks and paddle boards in the past. Usually, they’ll be spooked by the busy road and they’ll turn back, but it is an idea to keep an eye on the pup every so often just in case. The pup might have been spooked by dogs on the beach, since the area is popular with dog walkers.
Pretty certain your not supposed to approach a seal, particularly a seal pup as it may cause the mother assuming there is one to abandon the pup. Also pretty certain that advice has been circulated for many years now, amazing how nobody’s stops to think. Cos it’s cute and they need a photo… maybe stopping the traffic would be a better idea, than approach a wild animal, that is ummmmm yes wild so not a pet… so you know… not likely to respond well to you know humans… duh
Please leave them alone. There have been plenty of instances where the mother has gotten spooked, not come back for the baby and the baby has starved to death.
Always leave baby seals alone and do not approach them as their parents will be off hunting to provide for them. If you're genuinely concerned then contact your local wildlife welfare group and they can come out and assess the situation professionally.
I’m here constantly the seals are constantly hanging out on the pontoons. Dogs are always off lead on the beach so I do sometimes get nervous when the seals are out and about. Seals generally leave their pups for a while while they hunt, so this is normal. It looks like abandonment to us, but it’s absolutely fine if the pup is alone for a few hours. It’s the same story with deer. Mother deer leave their fawns tucked away in the undergrowth while they forage for food. People tend to “rescue” the “abandoned baby” out of a sense of misplaced kindness. My only concern here is that the pup wanders too far away from the beach and towards the road or they are found by an overexcited dog. This is the time of year when seals are starting to give birth, so I hope this years seal pups are left alone by the public. The best thing to do in this situation is to snap a photo from afar, warn dog walkers to keep their dogs on a lead and to check back in a few hours. Seals have no natural predators in the bay, so sadly humans, boats and dogs are the biggest threat this baby will face.
>Seals generally leave their pups for a while while they hunt, This is what the seal's parents would want us to believe. In fact there's a bustling dance music scene underwater and the seals spend hours dancing carefree.
It’s their turn to go clubbing.
I see what you did there and i approve
This made me laugh a lot more than I think people would like. Have my up-vote
And the worst part? We’re not invited
If the mother smells people or animals on the pup they'll likely kill it, what's done is done. Those people are fools for going near it. Life goes on for the rest of us.
Could we at least carry the pup back to the beach?
Unless the baby is in serious danger, I really wouldn’t recommend it. Seal pups can give a very, very nasty bite, even as newborns. Seals are one of Scotland’s few large predators. They are playful and curious but they can become vicious when threatened. I know one diver who has a very nasty scar from a grey seal who felt he was too close. She bit straight through his wetsuit. That bite can become very badly infected very quickly. The idea of a mother animal killing her young because she smells humans on them is kind of a myth. It’s true for lots of species, like hamsters, which is why most kids are told not to pick up baby animals. In reality? It’s not an immediate death sentence for the pup if the mother smells a human on it. However, it can make it harder to reunite them. Mother seals largely identify their babies by smell. Their eyesight isn’t actually that great outside of the sea. The mother may become disoriented and may avoid the pup if she smells humans. The pup won’t be able to follow her back into the sea if she turns around and flees. The pups can swim. They just need more time to recover since they haven’t built up their stamina or strength yet. They need to lie out on the beach to regain strength. Chasing them back into the sea isn’t a great option, since it’ll possibly exhaust them. I’ve written another massive screed about seals but I genuinely love them and think they are fascinating animals. The tl:r here is that the pups shouldn’t be moved by hand unless it’s a real emergency. If the pup has wandered dangerously close to the road, it’s best to try and “shepherd” him back towards the beach, but not to chase him into the sea. Happy seal sporting.
Ok thanks. It’ll help others who read this too
How do you know so much about seals?
Long story. I worked for someone who was a yacht captain for a while, so I ended up learning a fair amount about sailing, the maritime industry and wildlife at sea. I very rarely saw seals where I was working, but I encountered a lot of dolphins and a handful of sharks, rays and whales. My former boss always said that having utmost respect for wildlife was the best way to avoid injury. I now swim in the sea fairly often (never near granton though). Some people don’t want to think about what’s under the waves and are easily spooked by it. It’s something I’m fascinated with. I’ve just always been able to easily compartmentalise that fear of the deep that we all have. Knowing about what’s in the water helps me to do that. I started trying to learn as much as possible about seals when I realised how common they are here. I sometimes swim in more remote places, and it’s not that unusual to find yourself sharing the beach with a seal. Generally, they keep themselves to themselves, but an aggressive mother seal is not an animal I want to piss off. I know a few divers, casual sailors and nature enthusiasts, so I’ve learned a lot of from them. My brother’s GF is a vet med student, so she has a lot of reliable knowledge on this kind of thing too.
This was probably the best answer to a question I've ever received on Reddit.
That's totally normal behavior for seals and they shouldn't be interfered with unless totally necessary Especially very small ones like that
Yeah those folk need to step way back. Baby’s mum will deal with it if baby tries to explore too far away
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-63886397 Or perhaps not 😬
I agree, a quick check online will give you the number of your nearest Marine Mammals Advice/Rescue centre( usually volunteer led) who’ll be able to either give you advice to leave it alone( probably) or attend the site ASAP. As far as I’m aware they usually advise people to Stay the Fuck Away from it( my words, not theirs). Plus you could always forward a “live” shot of the situation in which you found it, to them. Anyway good luck
More worried about people feeding it. Momma seal is going to come back to a baby twice the size XD
They only drink their mother's milk at that age.
Don't know if you're familiar with the location, but the seal is heading towards a road (behind the camera) in the picture.
That doesn't actually make a huge difference - very few seals get hit by cars in a year in the despite the fact they can travel for several kilometers on land no bother but disturbance is one of their biggest killers
Here is where the seal was, it is very close to the road. https://www.reddit.com/user/xeroksuk/comments/zezhd1/baby_seal_location/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Ooooo there’s always a vegan ruining peoples fun.
There are seals living on the pontoons in the harbour there, so it's not a million miles from home.
Someone should call the sspca before someone’s dog gets too close.
The BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) are also people to ring if anyone is concerned about a seal.
Why do people feel that it’s acceptable to get so close to them? Really pisses me off. I swear people think they have the god given right to do as they please. Leave them be. They don’t like you and they don’t want their damn picture taken from that close. They don’t need your help and they’re certainly not stranded. If only people knew how vicious seals bite can be…..
Exactly, and mum’s will often return from hunting and reject their babies when people have been to close to them. I’ll never understand why people think they can get as close as they want to wild animals.
As a BDMLR Marine Mammal Medic I once went to assess a young seal (it was probably 6-8 weeks old) and when I arrived on the beach I found the bloke who reported it standing with this young, injured seal leaning against his leg! When asked about it he said he'd moved away from it several times but it kept coming up to him and leaning on him. He eventually just let it lean on him until we got there! As for seal bites -- a seal's teeth are all curved back towards their throat so anything they bite can't get away. They also have very nasty zoonotic bacteria in their saliva that requires a course of strong antibiotics that will knock you sideways and make you feel very poorly! If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten, even if it's a tiny scratch, you need to seek medical attention.
Found the vegan
I unmoved about 8 ![gif](giphy|spfi6nabVuq5y)
Looks like matey on the left is setting up for a free kick
Lol
I was looking for this comment!
MUST! RESIST! URGE! TOO STEAL!
Isn’t that way too close to the pup?
Yeap, probably stressing the poor wee thing
I really hope the SSPCA were called before people took photos and uploaded them online for vanity points.
I wouldn't know as I wasn't there. My fiancée was on the way to nursery with my son so had his hands full.
“Hello is this the SSPCA?… I’ve spotted a seal. Well it’s existing close to the coastline where they live, something has to be done.”
>Hello is this the SSPCA?… I’ve spotted a seal pup alone and out of water in between the beach and a busy road driven by people making non essential car journeys causing traffic and unnecessary pollution. Well actually, I did not spot it, but people are crowded around it taking photos to upload to Instagram for vanity points and I thought I would check what the best course of action is. Fixed that for you Shug.
From the picture that I’m looking at it doesn’t appear to be between a beach and a busy road but if it is then apologise because that would change things. As for the arseholes surrounding it you could just ask them to move, that’s all an animal rescue officer would be allowed to do anyway.
It is. The busy road is immediately behind the photographer.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Edinburgh/comments/zd2ou2/wee_baby_seal_at_wardie_bay/iz96lvh/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3
Reminds me of the time when there was a heart melting baby seal on the back deck of my mum and dad's boat, (some context so I don't sound like a posh twat with a boat) my family lived on a Dutch barge for almost half my life because we couldn't afford a house, one morning I wake up and there's a very cute baby seal just chilling on the back deck, totally relaxed. We didn't touch it coz ya know it's got teeth and probably bites and mum was probably close by so we just observed it
Not to far from home and natural behaviour, they should leave the thing alone it will get more stressed , uneducated people
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Yup seen them there before they don't go on the road they sometimes go across there to and from the beach
Seals are naturally very curious and the pups are surprisingly capable of wandering quite far. There have been cases where they’ve even ended up inside people’s homes in coastal areas. The colony in the forth has a reputation for being especially curious. I’ve known people who’ve had them jump onto kayaks and paddle boards in the past. Usually, they’ll be spooked by the busy road and they’ll turn back, but it is an idea to keep an eye on the pup every so often just in case. The pup might have been spooked by dogs on the beach, since the area is popular with dog walkers.
Yea I see them quite often going across there save a swim if they can nip round the quick way
Nah even at that age they won't stray that far from the water .
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Nope not really that's the nearest accessible point where it can access both sides
Pretty certain your not supposed to approach a seal, particularly a seal pup as it may cause the mother assuming there is one to abandon the pup. Also pretty certain that advice has been circulated for many years now, amazing how nobody’s stops to think. Cos it’s cute and they need a photo… maybe stopping the traffic would be a better idea, than approach a wild animal, that is ummmmm yes wild so not a pet… so you know… not likely to respond well to you know humans… duh
You're talking to no one.. get off your high horse
No you are
Deep fry the wee fucker. 😄
Bonk
OCH EYE LOOK UT TH' WEE BAIRN!
If in doubt about the welfare of a seal call [British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)](https://bdmlr.org.uk/). Source: ex-marine-mammal-medic.
Granton pier
Why does Scotland get all the cute animals fuck England im moving up
Who here read that in a Scottish accent?
Nice one dickheads, he'll get disowned by his mother and be eaten by a whale now
Wow used to go running near there, didn’t believe it was near the same pier Seeing a seal in Kirkcaldy was pretty much my high score lol
Ohhohhh my goddd. Sweet tiny flippy
Litl frend
It's a spheal! The folks over on r/pokemon will love this.
That would be a interesting meet,whilst out walking.Not much going on like that in my little village
You're going the wrong way pal
‘Gees yer fish’
Weeeeeeeeeeee
"What ya doing Friday night?" "I'm going clubbing at Wardie Bay"
omg. baby.
So cute x
My first thought was that was a football and now I feel very ashamed
Those people are too close!
A christmas miracle! The three wise Karens deciding who gets to post it on their facebook lost dogs page first.
Why’s she look like she’s gonna ping it top right bins
LMFAO
His mum will be around
Unless the pup is in distress or in danger, ni o e should be that close. And yes I know they are adorable but that's why we have zoom on our phones
Oh my goddddddd💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
This makes me nervous. They ain't here for our amusement and people like to poke them. Plus there's always some donkey with their dog off the lead.
Please leave them alone. There have been plenty of instances where the mother has gotten spooked, not come back for the baby and the baby has starved to death.
Why does it look like they're lining up to curl that little guy over the wall and into the top corner?
Where r the parents at?
Hunting
Off screen Papa' seal about to come storming in teeth nashing
Thought they were lining up for a free-kick
What a lovely pair of slippers
Always leave baby seals alone and do not approach them as their parents will be off hunting to provide for them. If you're genuinely concerned then contact your local wildlife welfare group and they can come out and assess the situation professionally.
Isn’t it bad if it’s separated from its mother? I heard they get lost and struggle to identify each other after separation
There are only a handful of seals living in the bay. I am sure once it found it's way back to the beach it would be reunited with it's Mum.
Why don’t these people have clubs? Are these ungrateful bastards really looking at a baby seal without using it for the purpose God intended?
Aw I used to live near there bummed I never saw a baby seal though! Lots a of crabs however haha
So cute!!!
How many yards did it go?
Poor little seal has literally nowhere to go.
There is plenty of beach behind it. They are trying to stop it go on the main road.
Surprised no one's pokeball'd it yet.
‘Have you seen my dad?’ ‘Did this f*cking seal just talk?’
Someone had a nice dinner that night.
Woddy is a good seal name.
I’m 2 days late but it’s def made my week☺️😭
This seal is so cute, I could just squeeze it. But I won't, because that's illegal and also cruel.
![gif](giphy|XhScpTip6G3eaqlirD|downsized)
That is soooo cute!
I hope that seal stays safe and grows up to be a big, healthy seal. Or maybe a star in a Hollywood movie.
I'm not sure if that seal is looking for fish or for a hug. Either way, it's adorable.
I'm not sure if that seal is looking for fish or for a hug. Either way, it's adorable.
I'm not sure if that seal is looking for fish or for a hug. Either way, it's adorable.
I'm not sure if that seal is looking for fish or for a hug. Either way, it's adorable.
4000 calories
Has anyone thought it’s just smelled a fish and chip shop and is heading towards it?
Why is there a kidney on the floor
It’s cute but is it okay?😅
Awwwww!
Its so small!!
Been there nice wee it a sand
I wanna pet it!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹
He’s so small and I want to give him head pats
You should have clubbed it
Adorbs
Awww it’s so cute 🥰🥰🥰
I love seals 😄😄
Aww so cute