Seal code of conduct

Written by Beccy MacDonald

Ex Lundy Warden

Marine & education conservation specialist

Snorkelling at Lundy is an amazing way to experience its fantastic protected marine life. Sometimes that marine life is as interested in you as you are in it.

The seals here are wild and can be very curious. When in the water, enjoy looking at the life beneath you. Please don't head off into the shallows where there are seals on the rocks as they will be busy digesting their food and resting, if disturbed this could affect their health and if you're not keen on the idea of seals coming over then stay close to the boat. Stay a minimum of 50m away from the rocks.

Seals can be alarmed by large groups of people so split into groups of no more than 4 and spread out, making sure that there are routes for seals to move freely around you and anywhere they want in the water. The seals must not be cornered as this will stress them and they may react.

Seals in the water may choose to come to take a close look at you, stay calm and do not shout loudly or move quickly. If you are lucky enough that they come to you, please keep your hands close to your bodies and don't try to touch them as they could bite. Don't ever try to get the seals to play with anything or try and feed them. They have been known to follow people with bright coloured fins and may have a little nibble as without hands they use their mouths to explore the world around them. They are faster and more elegant than us in the water so they can swim and move quickly. If they decide to finish the interaction and swim away, don't be tempted to follow or chase them.

The younger ones are smaller and tend to be lighter in colour, with larger females showing straight noses and the much larger males with a curved nose.

Males can be protective of their harems so never approach a male.

We want both you and the seals to experience fun interactions but their wild nature must be respected and these animals are protected under the Special Area of Conservation designation and the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. We are an accredited operator under the North Devon Marine Wildlife Aware Scheme and we support this as we want both you and our local nature to have positive experiences.