
Seal sanctuary celebrates diamond anniversary
A trip to Skegness would not be complete without a visit to Natureland, which this year celebrates 60 years since its foundation.
Natureland Seal Sanctuary is in a prime site as you travel along North Parade, with access to the beach and views across the horizon to the North Sea, Wash and beyond, the North Norfolk coast. It is this ‘town meets coastline’ location which inspired the sanctuary’s mission to rescue and rehabilitate seal pups.
CALL OF THE SEA
Members of the third generation of the Yeadon family are now running Natureland but their grandfather John Yeadon had his roots in Yorkshire. He responded to a job advert, for an aquarist, in 1965 at a brand new, small attraction. This consisted of a Floral Palace, aquarium and gift shop. The investment group which owned the business at the time decided to pull out within that first year, so John and his business partner, Alan Dales, took it over in 1965 and renamed the business Natureland. A major coup was Princess Margaret coming to open Natureland, which made headlines for the launch of the venture.
Seals had always been part of the abundant wildlife which inhabits the Lincolnshire coastline and a member of the public bringing a sick pup found on the beach to John was the start of many seal lives saved. What began with five or six pups rescued each year has now grown to between 60 and 70 each year.
John’s sons, Richard and Duncan, later became partners in the business and continued to build a reputation for the excellence of their rescue and release record for the grey and harbour seal pups with the support of their wives, Cheryl and Nicky. Duncan sadly passed away in 2018 which started the transition to the third generation of management with Matt and Daisy, who are eager to carry on this rescue work and help to progress the business going forwards. Cheryl is still a director and manages the gift shop. Richard and Nicky are retired but keep some of their rare breed sheep on the site. It has now passed to the third generation of the Yeadon family to develop the work of the sanctuary and the site as a tourist attraction.
THIRD GENERATION
Cousins Daisy Yeadon and Matt Yeadon became directors just prior to the first pandemic lockdown in 2020. This was certainly a major change in lifestyle for Daisy who previously had a world travelling career as a dancer working on cruise ships. Daisy’s sister, Ella, is also part of the team, looking after the administration and accounts. “Of course, during the pandemic, we had to close to the public and it was pretty daunting running the business with just a skeleton staff,” explained Daisy. “Pups were still being orphaned, abandoned or injured so it was a hectic time, especially as we have our resident seals and other animals to care for too. We have our busiest times in the winter with the grey seal pupping season and the summer with harbour seal pups. I love the work we do here, but I have to confess I miss some of the glamour of my previous career!”
BETWEEN THE COLONIES
Skegness is located between the two largest grey seal colonies on the east coast, at Donna Nook to the north and Blakeney Point across The Wash on the north Norfolk coast. Daisy continued: “They are both large colonies which continue to grow. We accept roughly an equal number of both grey seal pups and harbour pups each year. Pups are weaned in the wild at around four weeks old, but they can be abandoned by mothers or separated in stormy weather prior to being able to feed for themselves.
“We also regularly rescue and treat them for conditions such as lungworm, malnourishment, dehydration, and injuries. At the end of each season there are usually slightly older pups in need of rescuing, suffering from less common illnesses such as ear and eye infections, flipper injuries or injuries from increasing amounts of marine debris such as entanglements in fishing line, baler twine or ingesting plastic bags or litter.
“Our aim, once each pup is strong enough, is to teach them to eat fish by themselves so they can be released back into the wild from the beach behind the sanctuary.”
The team feed pups initially up to five times a day, to make sure they receive the nutrition they need.
Their contact with humans is kept to a minimum so they do not become tame with a transition from the indoor hospital area to the Seal Hospital outdoor pool and finally the Rearing Pool, where they gain weight to achieve the 30kg minimum to be successfully released back into the wild. There is a troubling new disease called mouth rot; an infection which causes a hole to appear in the seal’s palate. Seals with a permanent hole have a reduced chance of survival in the wild and essentially could drown when they try to hunt for fish. Government funded research is trying to establish what has caused the disease to appear in recent times.
There are five permanent seal residents at Natureland who, due to different reasons could not return to the wild, the eldest being Victoria and Fergie, who are over twenty years old. Scarlet is the youngest at four years old and has a case of mouth rot, with quite a large hole in her palate caused by the infection.
Since Natureland opened, it has returned some more unusual rescues back to the wild too, including Wally the walrus, who in 1981 had strayed well beyond his Arctic homeland and was eventually flown back there; a rare hooded seal which arrived on the Lincolnshire coastline from Greenland, as well as porpoises, oiled seabirds and even a pelican or two!
The Natureland team has also assisted with whale strandings over the years.
NEW TIMES
The transition for the third generation of the Yeadon family certainly began with challenges but they are now firmly in their stride, managing the much higher bio-security standards and training which is required now to achieve high standards of animal welfare.
“We have a core team of six keepers all year round, and a complete team of 15 in the winter that expands to 30 in the summer to run the whole site.
“We have many permanent resident species including the Floral Palace tropical butterflies and the aquarium, alpacas, meerkats, the Reptile House, Pets Corner and our delightful penguins.”
CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT
The major investment this year as part of the Diamond Anniversary celebrations is the building of a new penguin pool. The two South African penguins, Pip and Popcorn, will have the benefit of a larger pool with an underwater viewing window. It is hoped that more flippered friends will be joining them soon!
Natureland has more exciting plans as part of their celebrations this year. There’s the possibility of a couple of events throughout the year, including a Birthday Party Fun Day to mark the official opening in June 1965 and celebrate this milestone anniversary. Keep an eye on their website and social channels for updates and the chance to go along and see the rescue work being done!
You can support Natureland with their rescue work yourself, or as a gift to someone by becoming a Friend of the Seal Hospital.
Sponsorships start from £30 which helps to support the cost of feeding, medication and equipment for the seals. They also have a JustGiving page to help support their work.
You can find out more and see updates on events throughout 2025 at: www.skegnessnatureland.co.uk
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