Recently, two of our students who are completing the John Muir Award spent an afternoon at Churston Cove, a location frequently visited by the public where seals can often be spotted enjoying the tranquil waters brimming with life.

After gaining insights into the objectives of The Seal Project, the students developed posters to raise awareness about appropriate actions when encountering seals, highlighting what to do — and behaviours to avoid. We also learned about the small population of Common Seals that visit the Bay, and the subtle differences in their appearance.

The students independently designed their own posters and were given the option to focus on either an anti-litter message or cautioning the public against feeding seals. Litter can ensnare seals in plastic, hindering their ability to feed properly. Directly feeding them can also lead to excessive dependence on humans or expose seals and humans to potential harm.

This was an issue for Devon and Cornwall police as recently as last year, with a seal named ‘Spearmint’ becoming vulnerable to anti-social behaviour, dog attacks and physical harm after being habituated towards humans. In a report (ITV), a spokesperson from Devon and Cornwall Police said:

“We have received reports of seals being fed from boats within Brixham Harbour.

Feeding wild seals creates really big problems for seals and humans. Seals are quick learners and just one feed can develop habituated behaviour for life.

In their minds, food becomes linked with people and boats. This reduces their natural fear of humans and puts them at greater risk from humans and boats”.

The students did an outstanding job crafting informative posters, and we shared their creations with The Seal Project, who were equally delighted with the results. Well done!