Death in the afternoon.

I found this young seal on the beach late this afternoon, sheltering from the wintery blast. When you can get so close to a seal you know that there is something seriously wrong and, sure enough, it died within a few minutes of me arriving. The poor beast was moaning most pitifully and I have to say that it quite affected me.

We talk glibly of natural selection and the survival of the fittest but this was a stark reminder of what a miserable business it can be.