THE terrible sea conditions of ex-hurricane Ophelia have claimed the lives of some 140 seals on Skomer and Ramsey.

Following the October 16 storm, Ramsey saw the loss of nearly 90 grey seal pups, with more expected to sadly pass away, and some 50 reported lost at Skomer.

Ramsey was subject to 80mph gusts, and an exceptional sea swell of 8.5 metres, causing devastation on the seal pupping beaches around the island.

Western Telegraph:

Ramsey is the largest pupping site for grey seals in south west Britain with 500-700 pups born August-November each year, with 120 white coated pups present pre-storm on October 14.

Posting on RSPB community blog Ramsey Island and Grassholm on Tuesday evening, Ramsey Island site manager Greg Morgan said: “It was too rough for us to go anywhere other than above the harbour on Monday but this site had four pups on it, plus another six on the beach on the south side of the harbour. All we could do was watch helplessly as the rising tide coincided with the peak of the storm and turned the harbour into a boiling mess.

Western Telegraph:

“How any seal pups could withstand the scenes above was beyond us and what should have been an awe inspiring day watching the power of nature on our doorstep was tinged with a feeling of helplessness as the plaintive cries of desperate pups drifted on the wind.

“Cows could be seen valiantly trying to stay with their pups all the while preventing them from drifting too far out but at the same time keeping them away from the pounding surf on the beach. It was exhausting to watch as this battle rolled on for hours and well beyond sunset.”

See video of the storms at Ramsey here

https://youtu.be/I4Gmcv62b0A

The following day saw relative calm, and Greg checked the harbour beach.

“Surely nothing had survived? I was wrong! Two out of the four harbour pups were still alive. There was only one cow present, but the second pup was quite old and near to weaning anyway. It is remarkable that anything survived the onslaught of the previous day and it has certainly given me a new found respect for these amazing animals.”

The initial encouraging signs were short lived however. The six pups on the south side of the harbour were down to one, and worse was to come.

Western Telegraph:

Dead seal pups littered the beaches providing carrion for ravens and gulls. PICTURE: Greg Morgan/RSPB Ramsey Island.

“From 120 seal pups on our nine study beaches three days earlier, today saw only 31 remaining, and a lot of these appear to have been orphaned with the cows taking the decision to save themselves and abandoning,” said Greg. “Some will be old enough to take care of themselves but for many that simply won't be the case.

“On the one hand we've seen some remarkable feats of survival by tiny pups being tossed around on boiling seas but Ophelia has been brutal and had a devastating impact on this year’s pup survival rates.”

Western Telegraph:

This cow had stayed with her pup throughout the storm and brought it safely back to the beach. PICTURE: Greg Morgan/RSPB Ramsey Island.

Ramsey was not the only haven for seals to suffer Ophelia’s wrath.

Posting on Twitter on October 18, Skomer Island reported: “Just did a rough stock take. 75 seal pups before the storm, 25 now remain.”

Further storms are expected over the weekend.

PICTURES AND VIDEO: Greg Morgan/RSPB Ramsey Island.