page_title: Natureland Seal Sanctuary
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Natureland Seal Sanctuary / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Personal photograph taken on May 15th by Mick Knapton.
context_page_description: Natureland Seal Sanctuary, also referred to as Skegness Natureland or Skegness Seal Sanctuary is an animal attraction in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.
context_section_description: Before Natureland was opened there were butterfly houses, known even then as the 'Floral Palace', an aquarium and a gift shop at the site, which was run by an investment company based in Manchester.
  Natureland was founded in 1965 by John Yeadon, when it was opened by Princess Margaret and the attraction is still run by Yeadon's family.
  In 1966/67 Natureland featured in the BBC children's television programme Blue Peter and was visited by John Noakes.
  In 1981 Natureland rescued a walrus, which they named 'Wally', which had strayed from the animals' usual Arctic range. It is rare for walruses to visit the United Kingdom and then they are usually only seen around the Scottish islands.
  In 2012 Natureland rescued a rare hooded seal, which had travelled to Lincolnshire all the way from Greenland.
  In 2015 a television series about the attraction ran on Estuary TV. and in 2017 BBC One ran a feature about Natureland on a programme called Countryfile Winter Diaries.
caption: African penguin at Natureland in 2005
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