Mum will be on the way back to the sea very soon. Grey seals have been breeding on the Lincolnshire coast since the early 1970's. For much of the year the seals are at sea or hauled out on distant sandbanks but during the winter they come to breed on the beaches of Lincolnshire. Pups are born with white coats and suckle from their mother for about 2 to 3 weeks. The mother then leaves the pup. She will mate again before leaving the beach. After one week's development, the foetus stops growing for about 100 days, after which it continues to develop and is born the following November. The deserted pup sheds its white coat. After a while, hunger drives it to make its way to the sea to look for its own food. The pup grows very quickly but there are many dangers for a young seal pup. These include: Starvation - if there is a lot of disturbance from humans and dogs the mother seal will not return to the pup often enough to feed it. Abandoning - if the mother seal is severely concerned due to disturbance or if she is inexperienced, she may leave the pup. Without regular feeding the pup will die in three or four days. Infection - young pups are very prone to infection, especially to the eyes and respiratory tract. Drowning - can happen on the large spring tides or if the pup is disturbed and frightened into the water. Thanks for all the lovely comments & favs, so, so appreciated. x