The Opal Coast’s seals: where to see them?

The former can be recognised by their round head and small size, whereas the latter are more impressive and have a long muzzle. These seals live in colonies comprising males, females and the young of the year. The grey seals give birth in the winter (more precisely between December and February) and the common seals in the summer (June-July).

These protected animals made their great comeback in the early noughties, after having disappeared from the coasts of northern France in the seventies, decimated because it was thought that the fishing industry could not compete with them. They have now re-elected domicile on our coasts where they find all the resources they need to lead a peaceful life, rocked by the tides.

When you visit the Nausicaá aquarium and explore the local coastline, why not organise a little escapade to go and see the Opal Coast’s seals? There are several spots along the coast where you can watch and photograph them.

During your stay in northern France, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the natural wealth of an exceptional coastline. Somme Bay, Authie Bay and Cap Gris-Nez are notably among the places where the colonies of common and grey seals congregate. The presence of these rare, protected mammals attracts large numbers of nature lovers and the simply curious all year round, delighted to be able to watch these adorable marine animals in their natural habitat. At low tide, you can easily see the seals lying on the sandbanks. You must, of course, keep your distance and admire them from afar (from at least 300 metres away) so as not to disturb them: there are signs at the colony sites indicating the gestures and attitude you should adopt. At high tide, you’ll have to pay greater attention to catch a glimpse of their heads bobbing up from time to time out of the waves. It’s a good idea to take a pair of binoculars to make the most of the show.

Here are some of the spots where you can stop off to have a good chance of admiring the seals:

• Cap Gris-Nez: below the GR120 hiking trail;
• Équihen beach;
• Authie Bay, from the north bank of the Authie in Berck;
• Somme Bay, with a qualified guide.

The protection of the Opal Coast’s marine mammals is a key issue for the region. Nausicaá is engaged within the Coordination Mammalogique du Nord de la France (Northern France Mammal Coordination) project, to which it provides its financial support through its Endowment Fund. The CMNF has been working for more than 25 years on the preservation of these animals, implementing research and study works in natural surroundings and raising public awareness, along with rescue operations. Through its conservation initiatives with CMNF, Nausicaá hopes to make a difference by contributing to the preservation of the Opal Coast’s seal colonies and of all the precious marine biodiversity there. The aquarium is also involved in other conservation initiatives such as the reconstruction of the coral reefs in the Maldives, the preservation of the African penguins in South Africa, not to mention the protection of manta rays.