Where the Seals Sing: Exploring the Hidden Lives of Britain’s Grey Seals

by Susan Richardson

There are fewer grey seals in the world than endangered African elephants, but the British Isles host almost half of this global population. Every year these charismatic animals, with their expressive eyes and whiskers more sensitive than our fingertips, haul out on our shores to breed and raise their pups.

As graceful in the sea as they might seem clumsy on land, grey seals have visited our shores and enriched our culture for centuries. Yet we still know relatively little about these captivating animals. As Susan Richardson journeys to the crags and crevices of the coast, she explores the mysteries and mythologies of seals, learning not just how they live but also how we ought to live with them.
PRAISE FOR SUSAN RICHARDSON
‘Cut and precise, archaic and innovative, transcendent and in-the-moment, [Richardson] sees the life of the sea as a mirror of ourselves, and vice always changing, always the same … Vital, glorious and salutary’
PHILIP HOARE, AUTHOR OF LEVIATHAN
‘[Richardson] writes in prehensile language, capable of grasping something vast, ancient, the Earth in must’
JAY GRIFFITHS, AUTHOR OF WILD
‘Richardson beautifully marries the landscape of the polar regions with their – and her own – emotional topography’
SARA WHEELER
Susan Richardson has always been entranced by seals; they seem to have surfaced at key junctions throughout her life, comforting her as an anxious child, bringing joy as she began to spread her wings as a writer and helping her to find her way after the loss of her mother. Now she sets out to trace the rhythm of their lives, travelling the coasts clockwise from Cornwall to Norfolk, in line with the autumn pupping season. Along the way she explores the myths surrounding seals, from their shapeshifting selkie skins to the claims that they decimate fish populations, and she discovers that the greatest dangers they face come from co-existing with us.
Brimming with vivid descriptions of the natural world, Where the Seals Sing is a lyrical tale of memory, rescue and rehabilitation. While loss, both personal and ecological, is a recurring theme, the human–seal connection that flows through the story is stirring and uplifting.

432 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2022

Reviews

[Jan Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where the Seals Sing, by Susan Richardson

‘Where the Seals Sing’ by writer and naturalist Susan Richardson, explores the complexity of human-seal interactions in a narrative that is both emotionally engaging and firmly grounded in scientific observation and research.

The author’s own deeply felt affinity with the north Atlantic grey seal prompts her to embark on a journey around Britain’s seal-pupping sites, to discover more about how the welfare of these iconic mammals is being compromised by the triple challenge of climate change, pollution, and disturbance by human activity.

As Susan follows evocatively described coastal pathways, she observes seals at moments of great drama. Some of these scenes are hard to envision, for example a starving seal pup, orphaned when a ferocious storm hit the Welsh coast, desperately tries to suckle from a rock. However, there are also moments of hope and elation. In a scene evoking the book’s title, Susan visits the Wirral and encounters a 200-strong colony of seals ‘howling in unison for no discernible purpose’, an experience which leaves her ‘zinging with joy’.

At each stop on her journey Susan connects with local seal groups, conservationists, and activists, who monitor and promote the welfare of local seals. Sadly, the innate sense of joy and connection that humans often feel when they encounter animals in the wild, can lead well-meaning folk to act in a way which is harmful to wildlife.

Seals which have hauled-out onto land to rest or breed often find themselves sharing the beach with tourists, and too much disturbance can cause them to stampede back into the sea, severely compromising their welfare. Encouragingly, Susan discovers that the dedication of local volunteers and their efforts to educate the public, has led to significant improvements at many sites.

A counterpoint to Susan’s seal journey is the story of her father’s struggle with declining health and her dedication to supporting him. The strong bond between father and daughter, and their shared love of wildlife, helps them to negotiate times of crisis amid increasing confusion due to dementia, and a worsening heart condition. These two separate strands of the story complement and inform each other, putting care, for each other and for fellow creatures, at its core.

The book is further enriched by several fascinating sub-themes which delve into human-seal interactions in culture, folklore, and mythology. Susan meets Dr Emily Doolittle, the composer of Seal Songs, a musical composition which draws on selkie myths, and ‘Conversation’ in which she aims to convey the patterned howls of a seal chorus. There is also a fascinating exploration of Shamanism which culminates in Susan shapeshifting into her power animal, seal, causing her to ‘let go of words, haul out in the language of scratch and howl’.

The book is packed full of information about the lives of grey seals, while comprehensive endnotes provide links to sources, further research, and information about changes which have affected organisations mentioned in the text. A bibliography is also provided for those who wish to read further.

Where the Seals Sing is a fascinating combination of natural history, travelogue, memoir, and social history, all combining to create a rich and rewarding narrative. It is a book which engages both mind and heart, informative, insightful, at times heart-breaking, but ultimately uplifting. Most importantly it highlights the challenges facing Britain’s grey seal population, and the need for us all to be mindful when encountering these beautiful animals.