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Abundance

Seals at sandbank (distance ≤100m)
  • composite picture of harbour seals of different age and sex (females, males, juveniles and pups)
  • increased towards peaks in June
  • the sandbank close to dyke was longest time emerged
  • seals were more abundant distant to dyke

Mother-pup interaction

Female with new born pup
  • mother-pup pairs were mostly inactive
  • mothers initiated more frequently interactions such as hauling out, entering water and suckling
  • suckling durations did not differ between pairs (in average 5 - 8 min)

Disturbance

Pedestrians
  • the most frequent disturbance was caused by pedestrians
    • important: group size, distance to the seals, human behaviour
Harbour seal pup (< 4 weeks old)
  • Separations
    • none after anthropogenic disturbances, but due to environment
    • reunions of females and their pups recorded
Harbour seal performing commotion (= head up)
  • most frequent behavioural response commotion (= head up)
Female with new born pup disturbed by sheep
  • Intraspecific disturbance occurred ( = between two different species)
    • for example sheep disturbed female with new born pup


Responsible for this page: Director of undergraduate studies Biology
Last updated: 05/22/11