Most seal pups feared dead in storm surge found to have survived.

Hundreds of seals which had been missing feared dead after a tidal surge hit the east coast of Britain have been found alive and well.

There had been fears that the Norfolk seal pups, which were not yet mature enough to survive alone, would fall victim to the high tides that deluged communities on Thursday and Friday.

At one breeding ground in Horsey, where grey seals come ashore to breed between November and January, volunteers counted 440 pups on the beach before the surge and only 177 after it hit.

National Trust rangers spent the weekend searching for pups at one of the large colonies at Blakeney Point, normally home to about 1,000 seals and pups.

A spokesman said: "It is with great relief that the ranger team discovered the vast majority of the colony survived the extreme tidal surge.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/08/most-seal-pups-feared-dead-in-storm-surge-found-to-have-survived