25/04/2026
An increase in seals along England’s east coast has led to a surge in calls to HM Coastguard 🌊🦭
With this beautiful weather continuing, it’s quite likely you’ll spot seals relaxing on our beaches. While it’s lovely to see, many people are calling the Coastguard thinking the seals are injured when in most cases, they’re simply resting.
Michael Niblett from HM Coastguard said:
“If you do see an injured seal, please contact BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue). We’ve had a high number of calls recently about seals that turned out to be perfectly fine. Seals often come ashore to rest, and approaching them can actually cause them stress or even lead to aggressive behaviour.”
“Please think carefully before calling 999 for the Coastguard about a seal that appears healthy. It can take valuable time away from genuine emergencies.”
Of course, if you ever see someone in danger at the coast or you’re in trouble yourself call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
(Photo credit: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust)