There is a small island somewhere-far-away where, as Autumn sweeps in, the seals arrive for the annual soap-opera of their breeding season. There will be arguments, there will be births, some will survive... and some will not.
First the big males start to patrol parts of the rocky shores and soon after the fecund females return and select their favoured little rocky nooks in which to give birth.
Then the pups start to appear. They shine in their white natal fur picked out in the September sun against the dark of the rocks and the beds of kelp.
This is Bardsey Island. Here are some images from this year's expedition:
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| Patrolling bull (gently blowing bubbles) |
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| A fecund female sleeps |
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| Newborn pup - less than one day old - stained yellow by amniotic fluid and still with the remains of the umbilical cord |
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| Watchful mother and newborn |
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| Mother and pup in the shallows on a calm sunny day |
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| The whole family - whitecoat pup high on the shore - watchful mother in the water and beyond, on the rocks, a bull |
On the high tide a mother and pup play in the rocky niche chosen as the rearing site -
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| And when play is over it is feeding time and the pup suckles. |
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