UK winter storms: Nursing sick orphaned seal pups back to sea

A year ago, the worst storm surges in more than 60 years left the UK's east coast severely battered.

The storms coincided with grey seal pupping season, which happens in early December. Dozens of the young animals were separated from their mothers in the strong seas.

In the space of three days, the number of seal pups admitted to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre more than doubled to over 100, as 58 greys joined the 50 juvenile common seals who had been there since the summer.

One year on, with winter approaching, workers and volunteers at the centre are bracing themselves in case of another influx.

But the problem is not just weather - the centre is seeing increasing numbers of sick common seals (all but three of the current residents) but cannot pinpoint the reason.

From BBC news

New threat to Canada's Pacific humpback whales?

They were once hunted near to extinction but now humpback whales off the Canadian coast are returning in large numbers.

As a result, the Canadian government has downgraded their status from a threatened species to one "of special concern".

However, not everyone sees the change as good news with some people saying that there's now less protection for them and that they face new risks from boat traffic and increased oil and gas exploration.

Listen to what Craig Murray, a local business owner, and Jackie Hildering from the Marine Education & Research Society have to say about this.

From CBBC newsround