Citizen science reveals seal site variability on a regional scale

Monitored by amazing CSG volunteers

Previous publications have provided a short term snapshot of seal information over localised areas (Steven, 1935; Davies 1957; Smith, 1966; Summers, 1974; Prime, 1985; T. Leeney et al, 2010)

Cornwall Seal Groups research aims to add breadth (spatially and temporally) and depth (in terms of detail about age/sex; land/sea habitat use and inter/intra annual variation) to demonstrate the variability of sites and their usage by seals

To gain this insight, fragmented coastal sites across the SW peninsular of England were monitored by a large number of local, volunteer citizen scientists, surveying their own patch regularly over a sustained period of time.

Such an understanding of habitat use, by which seals and when, is essential for effective conservation

Way more seals use these sites than implied by the max counts

(E.g. 832 IDs at West Cornwall in 2013)

Seals move through these sites with seasonally repeated patterns

West

Cornwall

20km

Cornwall

Cornwall

IoS

North Cornwall

PJ

PT

DP443 Three scars

0 50 miles

West Cornwall

Skomer

North Devon

North Cornwall

Isles of Scilly

Seal movements tracked by photo ID

Lundy

MPF61 C-

MPF127 Frog nettie

0 50 miles

West Cornwall

Skomer

North Devon

North Cornwall

Isles of Scilly

Seal movements tracked by photo ID

Lundy

MPF103 Mountain stream (Red and green)

MPF104 Star 100 (Red only)

West Cornwall

20km

Cornwall

SW seal movements tracked by photo ID

Cornwall

IoS

Lundy

DP399 Scissors Slit

PJ

West

Cornwall

20km

Cornwall LP33 Woody

Cornwall

IoS

LI

PJ

North Cornwall

Seal movements linking along the north coast

PT FC

West Cornwall

20km

Cornwall

S262 Ghost 2

SW seal movements tracked by photo ID

Cornwall

IoS

North Devon

West

Cornwall

20km

Cornwall

S311 Raised Eyebrow Seal movements tracked by photo ID

Cornwall

and the

Isles of Scilly

IoS

NC

1

2

3

4 DP114 Back r

(2 to 4 only)

St I B

20km

IoS

DP74 White back P DP382 Peapod S280 L2L

0 50 miles

West

Cornwall

Skomer

Isles of

Scilly

S62 Man with horse/cart

Carracks

Kynance

Cove

20km

Cornwall

Lightning

Seal movements linking north coast to south

Cornwall

IoS

Looe

Seen by Sue Sayer with pup at Kynance 09/10/09

St Austell Bay

Chris and Claire Radmall Looe

West Cornwall

20km

Looe

DP427 Wotsit

Roseland

St Austell Bay

West

Cornwall

20km

Cornwall

Seal movements linked to Looe

IoS

Looe

LM9 Sunrise

Roseland

0 50 miles

West

Cornwall

Skomer

DP258 Open Kiss S358 Face Scar

2012 Dave Boyle

2013

2014

0 50 miles

West

Cornwall

Skomer

North

Cornwall

DP146 Firework

2

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

0 50 miles

St I B

Skomer

Gulland

S250 Upside down v plane

0 50 miles

Roseland

West

Cornwall

Skomer

S203 Spade

St Austell Bay

DP393 Teddie

20km

Pupping locations

S89 Wings

S163 Wriggle

S262 Ghost 2

S412 Wriggle 2

S361 Lightning

S464 Kelp

Seal mum movements tracked by photo ID

Seal site functional linkages

West Cornwall North Cornwall North Devon

Isles of Scilly 28 4

Lundy 5 2 3

Pembrokeshire 35 8 5

Iroise PNMI 5

SAC links 4 3 2

0 50 miles

West Cornwall

1 seal

2-5 seals

Other ID locations for seals seen

at West Cornwall

Females Males

11-15 seals

North Cornwall

6-10 seals

Skomer

17/03/14

France (incl 4 tags)

16-20 seals

21-25 seals

Isles of Scilly

North Devon

26-30 seals

31-35 seals

Ramsey

Lundy

Huge thanks to every single volunteer who has contributed a

seal record

Together our teamwork can really make a difference!