A local animal rescue organisation has issued a warning after members of the public “crowded around” a seal that had come to rest on Cleethorpes beach on Boxing Day.
Volunteers from Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue received reports of adults, children and dogs crowding around a large grey seal that was resting close to Cleethorpes Pier on Thursday afternoon.
They attended the location, and were “shocked” to see adults encouraging children to get close to the animal. They subsequently cordoned off the area and asked people to move back.
In a post to their Facebook page, volunteers warned members of the public from approaching seals resting on the beach, writing: “Today, we were alerted to a seal on Cleethorpes Beach, with reports of many adults, children, and dogs crowding around it.
“We sent volunteers to the location and were shocked to see adults encouraging children to get within a couple of meters of this large grey seal.
A cordon was put in place
(Image: Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue)
“It’s important to remember that these are wild animals. They are unpredictable, can move surprisingly fast, are incredibly strong, and have a nasty bite. Approaching them in this manner puts both you and the seal at risk.
“We requested that people move back while we established a cordon for everyone’s safety, including that of the seal. We also informed the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary.
The seal was resting on the beach – but headed back out to sea by nightfall
(Image: Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue)
“Seals use the beach to rest, often between tides and in most cases they just need to be left to rest. This particular seal did not need intervention and was allowed to rest while our volunteers managed the cordon.”
Volunteers were able to remove the cordon after the seal headed back out to sea as darkness fell.
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The post concludes: “Thank you to all the kind members of the public who left respectful comments and those who brought us coffee to keep us energised while we managed the cordon. Your support is greatly appreciated!
“If you spot a seal resting on the beach, please keep a safe distance of at least 100 meters where possible, put dogs on leads, and stay quiet to avoid disturbing it. You can contact us at 01472 472217, Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary at 01507 473346, or BDMLR at 01825 765546.”