\n Dorset Camera Club member Helen Moore was out taking photos of the stormy weather and high tide on Saturday morning along Weymouth Beach.\n<\/p>\n
\n However, she wasn\u2019t expecting to get a shot of a seal sheltering from the waves near the pleasure pier.\n<\/p>\n
\n In her post, she said: \u201cThank you to the two guys who were fishing up at Pleasure Pier this morning for letting me know about the seal.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n Winter is actually the perfect time to spot grey seals. The UK is home to over a third of the global grey seal population with estimates of around 120,000 – 162,000 individuals and Dorset regularly welcomes visitors.\n<\/p>\n
\n From November to March, many seals \u2018haul out\u2019 or spend time on land on remote beaches.\n<\/p>\n
\n Grey seals do this to pup in autumn and then moult in winter. Moulting is the process in which they shed their fur and even their whiskers and grow a new coat, like replacing a worn coat to stay warm and waterproof.\n<\/p>\n
\n Added to this, winter storms and quieter beaches could make sightings more likely.\n<\/p>\n
\n Remember Sammy? Conservationists don’t usually name individual animals but when studying seals, having a name can make it easier to monitor their movement, health and behaviour. This is particularly important given grey seals can live up to 35 years old.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u00a0Sammy gained a number of fans and followers that would flock to the beach to get a glimpse of him.\n<\/p>\n
\n He joined paddleboarders and kayakers and hitched a ride on their boards, delighted beachgoers resting on the shoreline and has become quite the tourist attraction.\n<\/p>\n
\n However, despite his friendly nature it is important that people kept their distance as with all seals as he did bite.\n<\/p>\n
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