TWO grey seal pups born this breeding season have been spotted at South Walney Nature Reserve, Walney Island.

For decades seals have used these protected beaches to haul out and rest, but this is only the third year that seal pups have been born on the Island.

Last year five pups were born at South Walney Nature Reserve and staff at Cumbria Wildlife Trust hope numbers will increase this year.

Sarah Dalrymple, reserve office at South Walney nature reserve, said: "Our first seal pup appeared in the middle of October last year and so I've been checking the SealCam every day in anticipation of our first birth this year.

"We've now seen two seal pups on the camera and I'm really hoping our numbers will reach or exceed the five pups we had last year."

The mothers will stay with their pups for only a short time, feeding them with fat-rich milk, until it is weaned and then she will leave both the pup and the area.

During this time, the pup will gradually moult its thick white fur revealing its adult coat with its own individual markings.

After weaning, the pup may remain on the island for up to another few weeks or so before it is ready to head out to sea to forage for itself.

Ms Dalrymple said: "Staff and volunteers at South Walney Nature Reserve work really hard to make sure the colony of grey seals is protected from disturbance from people and dogs, as the beaches are closed to the public, and the birth of these pups is a reflection of our success.

"The best view of the seals is via our SealCam which can be watched online on our website or on a screen at the nature reserve, people can also see the seals from the hide using binoculars."

Due to the young age of the seal, it is incredibly vulnerable to disturbance, which would cause the mother to abandon it and the pup to starve.

For this reason, there is strictly no access to the area of the nature reserve where the seal pup is, and so it is not possible to view the pup at South Walney Nature Reserve.

However, the rest of the seals can be seen playing and fishing in the water at high tide, along with thousands of wintering wildfowl and wader birds, from hides elsewhere on the nature reserve.

You can also watch the seals at the reserve by logging onto the Trust's popular new Sealcam, www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/seal-cam.