Probe into washed up seals in Cork as gunshot theory is dismissed

The body of a seal washed up at Ardnahinch beach.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is investigating cases of washed-up seals in Cork, as a seal welfare organisation dismissed concerns they are being shot.

The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) said reports that a washed-up seal at Ardnahinch beach in East Cork was shot were wide of the mark, and that holes in the carcass were consistent with birds interfering with it after death.

Concerns had been raised locally that the seal had been the victim of a gunshot, but the ISS veterinary expert said the damage inflicted on the seal's body was "clear bird damage inflicted post-mortem".

The NPWS said it was aware of the case in question.

A spokesperson said: "The NPWS is aware of a number of seals being washed up on beaches in East Cork. The district conservation officer is currently investigating the matter."

A different organisation, Seal Rescue Ireland, said it recorded a rise in the number dead seals on their database from East Cork in recent weeks, and that there were 202 dead seals reported to the charity in 2020, the highest number on record.

However, ISS cautioned that any speculation that seals were being shot was not currently backed up or verified by evidence. 

While there are many issues surrounding seal welfare at present, shootings were not among them, ISS said.

Both species of seal in Irish waters, the harbour or common seal and the grey seal, are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. 

Ireland is obliged to maintain their numbers at a favourable conservation level. 

Grey seals are protected under the EU Habitats Directive.  Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Housing, local government and heritage minister Darragh O'Brien said Ireland is also required to monitor their populations and report to the European Commission on their conservation status. 

He told the Dáil last September that the latest population estimates indicate that there are approximately 8,000 to 10,000 grey seals and about 5,000 harbour seals in Ireland. The largest populations occurring along the west coast from the Blaskets in Kerry to north Mayo and Donegal, he said. 

"Seals, and grey seals in particular, are wide-ranging animals. The Irish animals are known to move between Scotland and north-west France. In turn, animals from the large seal populations in Scotland migrate into Irish waters to feed. There are over 100,000 grey seals in Scotland."

He was responding to concerns that a cull was about to take place.

"While seals are a protected species, my Department may issue licenses to cull individual problem seals, and affected persons can apply for such licenses. My Department has no plans to undertake a general cull of seals," he said.