Grey Seal Webcam on Vilsandi, Estonia 2016-2018

[asteria]

Those pups may be killed by males.

[marsilt]

Results of seal count 22.03.16

52 live seal pups
37 dead seal pups
80 adults
16 WTE

[Hellem]

Thank you marsilt for the results.

Grey Seal count on LK main page:
http://www.looduskalender.ee/n/en/node/146

[Fleur]

thank you marsilt and helpers for the good work

March 24
good morning

6:30 Seals and little bit snow

[Liz01]

Results of seal count 22.03.16

52 live seal pups
37 dead seal pups
80 adults
16 WTE

Marslit
thank you for the results

are the usual numbers? Or is the rate of dead puppies very high?

in nature nothing is lost. The Eagles, Ravens and Crows have enough food.
it's still hard to see it

[venegor]

probably the corpse cub seal

[Hagnat]

Compared to the census of February 23, there was a sharp rise in dead pups (10 > 37), but the number of living pups almost stayed the same (54 > 52).

Results of seal count 22.03.16
Living pups: 52
Dead pups: 37
Total pups 89
Adults: 80
White-tailed eagles: 16

Results of seal count 23.02.16
Living pups: 54
Dead pups: 10
Total pups 64
Adults 100
White-tailed eagles: 11

Results of seal count 14.02.16.
Living pups: 25
Total pups: 25
Adults 110
White-taiedl eagles: 7

[Fleur]

March 25
good morning
6:18


6:28


6:41

[Fleur]

6:57

[aita]

Good morning
7:50 Eagles

there was 7-8 eagles 2 minutes before, i do not have recording
probably somewhere is a newborn seal pup

[lianaliesma]

7.48

[marsilt]

Dead seal count is somewhat cumulative because we count not only new ones but also old ones from this season. Some of the dead pups disappear because of storms and WTE drags them to the sea.
Because of the average suckling length of 18 days + some 2-3 weeks fasting there are pups born in the beginning of season already left from the island. Pupping season started in the beginning of February and the peak was around beginning of March. Total count of live pups is higher than we count at each count because we don't see the pups that haven't been born yet in the beginning of the season and later we don't see pups who has already left.
There were mostly fasting pups and some suckling pups left at the last count.

[ales]

Hi Marsilt,

thank you for your explanation. If I can ask, how do you see lifes of seals in your focused area? Are they doing well? Is there any dramatical drop of their count or everything in the ordinary way? Maybe you can share your opinion from the global perspective.
What we can see (except pups) from the webcam - seals seem to be ok and live their typical lifes.

Thanks for your work - it makes sense.

[IceAge]

Marsilt, thank you for the info.

14:43
The seals lie to near at the dead pup. Eagles and crows do not dare to eat.

[Fleur]

thanks for the info Marsilt.

March 26
good morning
6:11

[marsilt]

thank you for your explanation. If I can ask, how do you see lifes of seals in your focused area? Are they doing well? Is there any dramatical drop of their count or everything in the ordinary way? Maybe you can share your opinion from the global perspective.
What we can see (except pups) from the webcam - seals seem to be ok and live their typical lifes.

If the lifes of the seals would be really bad then we wouldn't have seal cam but only sea cam. If i give general numbers of trend in Estonia since beginning of 90-s then that should answer your questions. When in the beginning of 90-s the moulting adult grey seal counts were around 500 individes then 2014 the number was 5300.

[Fleur]

12:27 foggy

[Fleur]

March 27
good morning
7:44

[Fleur]

March 28
good morning
7:10

[Fleur]

8:56 Hooded Crows