Marine · Seals, dolphins & whales

Seals, dolphins and stranded marine life

The first 60 seconds

Leave it if
Seals haul out on land routinely to rest, digest and moult.
Help now if
Visible wounds, or tangled in netting or plastic.

Do this

  1. Stay 100 metres back
  2. Observe and note
  3. Ring BDMLR

Never: push or drag a seal back into the sea. A sick or resting seal put in the water can drown.

Call a rescue near me Ring British Divers Marine Life Rescue (24 hours)

A seal on a beach is usually just resting. A dolphin or porpoise on a beach is always an emergency. Here is how to tell what you are looking at, and who to ring.

Rescues across the UK take seals & dolphins

Handle?
Never
Keep back
100 metres
Grey seal pups
Sep – Dec
24h hotline
01825 765546
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The one thing to remember

A seal on a beach is usually just resting. Watch from 100 metres before deciding.

Step one

Does it need help?

Look before you touch. Intervening when an animal is fine is one of the most common mistakes — and it can cost the animal its life.

Leave it be if…

  • Seals haul out on land routinely to rest, digest and moult.
  • A white-coated grey seal pup alone on a beach in autumn is normal — the mother is hunting and will come back, but not while people are near it.

Step in if…

  • Visible wounds, or tangled in netting or plastic.
  • Coughing, wheezing or shivering.
  • Thin enough to see a “neck” behind the head, or ribs showing.
  • Any stranded dolphin, porpoise or whale — always, immediately.

Step two

First aid, step by step

What to do in the first ten minutes, in order. If anything here feels unsafe, stop, step back and phone a rescue for advice instead.

  1. 01

    Stay 100 metres back

    Keep all dogs on leads. Crowding is what stops a mother coming back to her pup.

  2. 02

    Observe and note

    Location, size, colour, injuries, and how long it has been there. A photo from a distance helps.

  3. 03

    Ring BDMLR

    British Divers Marine Life Rescue runs a 24-hour hotline and has trained marine mammal medics around the coast.

  4. 04

    Stranded dolphin or whale?

    Ring immediately. Keep people back, keep the animal upright if safe, and keep its skin wet — but never pour water near its blowhole.

Important

What never to do

  • Never push or drag a seal back into the sea. A sick or resting seal put in the water can drown.
  • Do not let it bite you — seal bites can cause a nasty infection (“seal finger”) that needs specific antibiotics.
  • Do not try to refloat a stranded dolphin or whale yourself.

Food and water

Should I give it food or water?

Never. Seals are wild hunters and do not need or recognise human food.

Seasonal guide

Through the year

When rescues see the most seals & dolphins — and what is driving it.

Busiest in October, November and December.

  1. January: Busy
  2. February: Some
  3. March: Some
  4. April: Some
  5. May: Some
  6. June: Busy
  7. July: Busy
  8. August: Some
  9. September: Busy
  10. October: Peak
  11. November: Peak
  12. December: Peak
  • Jun – JulCommon (harbour) seal pups — they can swim within hours.
  • Sep – DecGrey seal pupping. Storms separate pups from mothers.
  • Winter stormsExhausted pups washed up along the coast.

Background

Seal facts

Two resident seals

Grey seals (long “Roman” nose) and common seals (dog-like face). The UK holds a large share of the world’s grey seals.

Moulting looks sad

Seals lying still and patchy-looking may just be moulting. Disturbance costs them energy they need.

Rescued and released

Rescued pups are often rehabilitated for months, then released with a tag.

Prevention

Help them where you live

  • Keep dogs on leads near seal haul-outs and pupping beaches.
  • Pick up plastic and fishing net on beach walks — entanglement injuries are horrific.
  • Follow local signage about closed beaches during pupping season.

The law. Seals are protected under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 (England and Wales) and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Disturbing seals at certain designated haul-outs is an offence.

FAQ

Questions people ask

A seal pup is crying on the beach.
Pups call for their mothers. If it is plump with a white coat, leave it. If it is thin, injured or has been there for more than 24 hours without the mother, ring BDMLR.
Should I pour water on a seal?
No — seals are perfectly happy out of water. Dolphins and whales are different and do need their skin kept wet; BDMLR will talk you through it.

Ready to call?

Find a seal rescue near you

Ranked by who has confirmed space, then distance. Free, no sign-up.

General first-aid guidance compiled from UK rescue organisations, not veterinary advice. Where this and a vet disagree, the vet is right.

Keep reading

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