SEALS have been enjoying more of the Sussex coastline due to quieter beaches, experts believe.

Sightings of the creatures relaxing on the shoreline have increased during coronavirus lockdown, says Stephen Savage of the Sea Watch Foundation.

Seals usually prefer to “haul out” on Sussex’s quieter beaches as they like to rest undisturbed.

But Mr Savage said the creatures are being spotted on beaches in Brighton, Shoreham and Worthing, places they would normally seldom visit.

The cause? Quieter beaches in the past few months, he thinks.

“There are very few undeveloped places to go in Sussex because the coastline is so developed,” Mr Savage said.

“There are two places I know of where seals regularly haul out. They’re a balance between convenience and human activity.

“But seals are currently hauling out in places they would normally avoid because of human activity.

The Argus: Harbour seals are the most common seal in Sussex. Photo: S SavageHarbour seals are the most common seal in Sussex. Photo: S Savage

“It very much suggests a decrease in human activity has led to more sightings.”

As seals are shy and prefer to relax undisturbed, Mr Savage cannot reveal their favourite haunts on the Sussex coast.

But he is urging members of the public to report sightings so the Sea Watch Foundation can look into how coronavirus lockdown has affected seals in Sussex.

“It’s very difficult to know how many seals are around Sussex because you need close-up photos so you can identify them by their markings,” Mr Savage said.

“In the last year we had 18 different sightings. That’s been quite stable since I began doing this in 1991.”

But the biggest threat to the county’s seals is disturbance, Mr Savage said.

He urged people not to get close to seals relaxing on beaches as the stress it causes could do them harm.

The Argus: Seals are very easily disturbed when relaxing on the beach. Photo: S SavageSeals are very easily disturbed when relaxing on the beach. Photo: S Savage

“Just the sound of someone walking on the pebbles is enough to stress them out,” he said.

“If a seal is disturbed every hour or so and it shoots its head up to look around, that’s fine.

“But if that’s happening every five minutes and it’s constantly stressed, that can have an effect. That’s why people should enjoy them from a distance.

“A lot of people think if a seal hauls out on to the beach it must be ill, but it’s perfectly normal.

“They get tired from swimming and keeping themselves warm and they need to rest.”

Anyone who spots a seal in Sussex should send information and photographs to seawatch17@yahoo.co.uk. Include the location of the seal, the date, the time, and if the seal was swimming or hauled out on the beach.

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