Cumbrian grey seal pup arrives six weeks early

A grey seal has been born at a nature reserve in Cumbria, weeks ahead of the normal pupping season.

The breeding colony at South Walney, which was established six years ago, usually experiences births from mid-October.

Conservationists are unsure why the mother has given birth so early but described it as "surprising".

Visitors are being asked not to disturb the pup and to watch it via the reserve's seal cam.

Dr Emily Baxter, senior marine conservation officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "This is very exciting and unexpected news! After one of us spotted a pup on our seal cam we went down to the nature reserve with our binoculars to confirm the surprising news."

Grey seals have an annual synchronous breeding cycle, which sees them return to the same site every year to pup at the same time each year.

Dr Baxter said records show the mother has not previously had a pup at South Walney, near Barrow-in-Furness, and this could be her first offspring.

There are a number of reasons the pup could have arrived early and experts say one could be climate change.

The first grey seal pups are usually spotted in Cornwall in August and births occur progressively later the further north you travel.

Seals in Wales tend to pup between August and October, from mid-September on the Isle of Man, and then November to December in Scotland and down the East coast of England.

In the six years since the first grey seals were born at South Walney pups have appeared between mid-October and the end of November.

This year's early arrival is still very vulnerable and experts fear its mother may abandon it if she is disturbed.

Kayakers, anglers and users of small boats have been asked to keep their distance from the seal colony.