Natural and human hazards

While out on the boat with Offshore Adventures collecting seal behavioural data I have seen some interesting things. One being a seal that had miraculously escaped death by shark but bore the marks of the encounter. A half moon bite mark, seeming severe but seals are resilient creatures and will survive this, but the next seal may not be so lucky.

Once bitten twice shy?

The other sighting of note was a seal with what appeared to be netting or twine wrapped around it's neck. The seal didn't seem to be in great discomfort but the noose was a little too tight for my liking. Unfortunately I have not spotted this individual again, and not for lack of trying! I can only hope that it somehow managed to free itself.

Human hazards.

Swimming with seals

One morning Mark and Jesse joined me on a seal swim with Offshore Adventures. Jesse was very taken with the pups, and them with him, perhaps due to his small size. We all had an awesome time and I got another session of data collection done, I am going to miss this once all the data has been collected!

Mark and Jesse.

Jesse and I.

Monica from Offshore Adventures.

Jesse greeting the seals!

They come very close, and are often interested in the dive slate that I use to record data.

Sleek seals

While doing boat observations with Offshore Adventures, I took the opportunity to take some photos of the seals that I am spending so much time watching. They really are such cute creatures!

Offshore Adventures

Although the kelp gull breeding season, and my fieldwork, is finished I have managed to not be confined to my desk for too long! Mark has set me up as a research assistant with Offshore Adventures doing seal behavioural observations. Observations need to be done from land, from the boat, and from the water looking at the seals reactions to swimmers in the water. Robberg is home to a colony of roughly 5000 Cape Fur Seals and I got into the water with them. At this time of year, the pups are testing themselves and learning their limitations, and they are exceptionally friendly! Luckily, the first excursion into the water was for me to familiarise myself with the seals and their behaviour. I was far too taken with these incredible animals to do any data collection! If you have the opportunity to swim with seals, take it! It is a most incredible experience!

Ready to jump in!