Give the Anglesey and Conwy seals room on the sand
Grey seals are back on the quieter sands of Anglesey and the Conwy coast, and wardens are asking visitors to give them room. Red Wharf Bay is the picture that travels. The same request now runs from the east of the island round to sheltered coves on the mainland: look, stay back, keep the dog on a lead.
Late summer and early autumn are when animals haul out to rest. A seal on the sand is not a stranded pet and it is not a prop for a photograph. If it lifts its head or shuffles towards the water, it has already been pushed too far.
What to do on the beach
Keep at least the length of the bay path between you and an animal at rest. Use a long lens if you want a picture. Never surround a seal, never offer food, and never try to move a pup. If an animal looks hurt, note the place and call a local rescue number. Do not wait beside it for the sake of the camera.
Dogs cause most of the trouble. A short chase is enough to send a resting seal back into the tide before it has fed or slept. Owners who walk the same bays all year say the rule is simple. If you can see a dark shape on the sand, clip the lead on before the dog sees it too.
Two coasts, one habit
Red Wharf Bay draws families because the sand runs a long way out. That is why the seals choose the quieter edges and why people then walk straight towards them. On the Conwy side the same pattern appears in smaller coves, where a single haul out can fill a whole inlet.
Boat trips and paddleboards add a second pressure. Launch well away from resting animals and give a wide berth if you find them in the water. A seal that looks curious is still wild. It does not need a closer look from us.
The coast will take the autumn crowds whether the seals stay or slip away. The ask from those who watch these bays is modest. Leave a quiet strip of sand. The view is better when the animals are left to use it.