What better way to lighten your day then with some heartwarming pictures of baby seals at play?

These grey pups are being cared for at the Norden-Norddeich seal sanctuary and research station in Lower Saxony, Germany, which takes care of around 80 orphaned seals, as well as breeding its own seals every year.

The adorable pups are carefully nursed and nurtured by the sanctuary's staff for some months before being released into the wild. One thing's for sure - they're not camera shy. Take a look at them capering around like natural born performers in the photos below.

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Picture credit: Rex Features

Seal pups steal the show