Dear Editor,

Thank-you for that wonderful close-up photograph of an Atlantic Grey seal suckling her new-born pup [Western Telegraph 6/9]. Mind you - the photographer looks as if he went a bit too close!

'Stay away from seals' is a sensible message. A female can turn really nasty and move surprisingly fast if anyone gets too close at pupping time. Children should be kept well clear! Seals have really long, sharp teeth! They can inflict real damage!

We have a great solution at Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park, a tourist attraction at Gwbert, near Cardigan. We have fenced the cliff-tops overlooking the main pupping sites adjacent to Cardigan Island, a nature reserve which is about 250 metres offshore of our Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park visitor attraction. See www.cardiganisland.com

Seals breed in the many caves and coves underneath our Farm Park, giving birth from late August to November. There is a new-born pup visible at one regular spot below our cliffs at the moment. Visitors can view it from our fenced cliff-tops. It lies on a flat rock about 50 feet below the cliff-top fence. So no-one can get too close!

The mother goes out with the tide to feed herself and then clambers back up the rocks to suckle the pup, hours later, as the tide comes back in, Whilst the tide is out, the pup lies there on its own for hours. It is not 'abandoned'! Our solution gets the seal of approval from our many customers, including our campers.

Yours faithfully,

Lyn Jenkins, Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park, Gwbert, Cardigan