Overview
- Fieldwork started after the first pup was spotted, marking the opening of the 2025 pupping-season count.
- The monitoring project began in 1952 under Grace Hickling and has produced the world’s longest dataset for grey seals.
- Pup numbers have risen from about 500 in 1952 to 3,624 in 2024, and rangers will see whether the upward trend continues this season.
- Drones fly roughly 75 metres above the colonies to gather counts in a method described as safer for staff and less intrusive for seals.
- The National Trust closes landings during pupping season, with viewing limited to boat trips, and Newcastle University will analyse the season’s data with results expected in spring 2026.