Thousands of seals gather to moult fur at Horsey beach

The stretch of coast at Horsey has become an important breeding ground for the Atlantic grey seal colony, with 3,632 pups recorded in the last official count of the season in January.

An Atlantic grey seal on Horsey Beach (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

Some of the Atlantic grey seals on Horsey Beach (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

According to the Friends of Horsey Seals group, the annual moulting process follows two to three months after breeding and takes roughly six weeks to complete.

READ MORE: Seal pup numbers break records after thousands counted on Norfolk beaches

During the moulting period, the mammals cluster together to conserve heat while they grow new sleek coats which are renewed to avoid damage from seawater and parasites.

The five-mile stretch of Norfolk coast has become an important breeding ground for the mammals, with over 3,500 pups being born there over winter (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

Some of the estimated 2,500 Atlantic grey seals on Horsey Beach (Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)People are asked to keep a safe distance from the seals during the shedding and to keep dogs under control on a lead, or they risk harming the animals.

If a seal feels uncomfortable at the approach of people or dogs, they may head into the sea before the moult is complete and get dangerously cold.