Nearly A Dozen Rare Melanistic Seal Pups Were Found At The Nature’s Reserve Located In England

These melanistic seal pups are still cute and adorable regardless

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• October 2, 2022

Seals contribute to the stability of the food web as one of the keystone species in the marine environment. I should not forget to add that they are cute as well. 

Due to the fact that seals are semi-aquatic, they frequently spend some time each day on land. They do this for a variety of reasons, including to relax, give birth, and molt, which is the annual shedding of old hair.

Young seals can spend up to a week hauled out on land. Today’s article is all about seals, not any kind of seal but the melanistic seal pups. 

At Blakeney Point, a nature reserve on the Norfolk coast of England, rangers recently found almost a dozen black seal pups. The wildlife authorities were taken aback by the discovery because just one pup out of 400 is born with a black coat. 

Despite having a white coat at birth, grey seals change their fur around two to three weeks old. As their name implies, they naturally reveal a grey coat. 

A small percentage of the pups do, however, have velvet black coats due to a genetic condition known as melanism. Melanism results in an excessive amount of black pigmentation, in contrast to albinism, which causes a lack of skin pigmentation.

Officials with the National Trust explained that although grey seals are often born white, their coats eventually change color as they shed their fur. As their name implies, a black velvety coat is only visible when they molt. 

Nearly a dozen of black seal pups has been recently discovered by rangers at the Blakeney Point

A National Trust ranger named Hanne Siebers has captured a number of images of the cute black seal pups.

The grey seal colony at the Blakeney Point is the largest in the United Kingdom

"Black seals are rare, with research suggesting approximately 1 in 400 grey seals are melanistic," the charity said. "Our rangers have spotted 10 so far this season. Melanism is the increased development of the dark-coloured pigment melanin," they added. 

Every grey seals have a white coat when born, they change their fur as the get older

The Blakeney Point grey seal colony is now the biggest in England, although in 1988 there was just one pup that was born there. Their population gradually grew until 2001, when more than 20 pups were born, and the colony set its peak in 2019 with 3,399 seal pups. 

A small number of the pups have a velvet black coat which is as a result of melanism

"Black seals are rare with research suggesting approximately 1 in 400 grey seals are melanistic"

In the event that someone encounters a seal or a seal pup, the National Trust advises them to keep their distance. "If you ever come across a seal or a pup, please keep your distance and do not approach or disturb these wild animals in any way, as this may cause unnecessary stress," the warning reads.

"If you ever come across a seal or a pup, please keep your distance and do not approach"

Seals assist in cycling nutrients through the water column and moving them from the sea to the land through their movements. At least 4,000 seal pups are anticipated to be born this season, according to the National Trust, a charity organization for heritage conservation in England.

The largest colony of grey seals in the UK may be found at Blakeney Point.

h.t: kingdomstv

Maryjane