Donna Nook
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Donna Nook is a bombing range on the coast of Lincolnshire, England, north of the village of North Somercotes. The area is salt marsh, and is used by the numerous Royal Air Force bases in Lincolnshire for bombing practice. The resident wildlife fare surprisingly well, and seem to have become accustomed to aircraft bombing near them on a regular basis.
One particular group is the Grey Seal population, which is visited by around 43,000 people a year (2006), and the seals return to breed during October to December every year. Media coverage of Donna Nook has led to this big increase in visitor numbers. The coastline is managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. In 2007, the seal colony had its best breeding season on record, with about 1,194 pups born from the 3,500 resident grey seal colony. A controversial double wooden fence has been erected in 2007 to try to stop people touching the new born pups. If the mother seal detects human or dog scent on its pup, it may be abandoned. [1].
The nature reserve is easily and freely accessible to the public, offering free parking and local amenities, but no public toilets. It is staffed by volunteer wardens with experience who offer information to anyone interested. A small gift shop is available in an on-site garden shed, and all money raised is immediately put back into the colony's future protection of seals.
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