A live-action camera has been installed at a Walney nature reserve so the public can watch the much-loved grey seal colony.

South Walney Nature Reserve is the main haul out site for grey seals in the North West of England.

Seals can be spotted in the water around the reserve - usually at high tide. However, there is no access to the protected beaches on the reserve to see the seals as it is vital that they are not disturbed.

At the end of last year the first ever seal pups to be born at the reserve were discovered. It is hoped that there will be more pups this autumn.

The webcam installed by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, which runs the reserve,

now provides the perfect opportunity to watch these charismatic creatures up close as they haul out to rest.

Sarah Dalrymple, reserves Officer at South Walney said: “We are very excited to launch our new seal cam. Seals are fascinating creatures that mainly spend their time at sea hunting, so when they haul out on the beach at the nature reserve it is to rest and recuperate and also a great time for us to get a glimpse of them too. However it is not possible to get close to the seals - the spit isn’t accessible and it is vital that the seals are not disturbed. The seal cam is a great way to see them more easily, while keeping both the animals and visitors safe.

“Last year we were delighted when we discovered the first ever grey seal pups to be born at South Walney Nature Reserve. We hope we may see more pups this autumn and the seal cam will mean even more people will be able to watch and wait with us over the coming months to see if it happens again.”

The seal cam can be viewed live now at www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/seal-cam

South Walney Nature Reserve is open to visitors, though there is no public access to the beaches. The public can observe the seals with binoculars from one of the hides, and watch the webcam on the screen at the entrance to the reserve.

The public can also see large wintering flocks of redshank, oystercatcher and other waders such as greenshank and dunlin, as well as twite, seaducks and merlin.

Grey seal facts

*Grey seals spend most of the year at sea, and may range widely in search of prey. They come ashore in autumn to form breeding colonies on rocky shores, beaches, in caves, occasionally on sandbanks, and on small largely uninhabited islands.

*Grey seals are among the rarest seals in the world: the UK population represents about 40% of the world population and 95% of the EU population.

*Although culled in significant numbers in the past, since the late 1970s, no licences have been issued in the UK for commercial hunting or large-scale control measures, and the population has increased markedly since that time.

*Cumbria Wildlife Trust has been monitoring the seals on the protected beaches at South Walney for the past few decades. Historical records show that during the 1980s grey seals were seen most commonly alone or occasionally in pairs around Walney Island. Gradually over time the number of seals using 'the spit' on the island has increased, with a now year-round population of grey seals present on the reserve. During the winter it is common for more than 100 individuals hauled-out on the reserve.