Update.

With the pup count on the Islands already over 1600 this year with just a few weeks left, we are already above last year’s total of 1575. Pups have been arriving at some rate, peaking around mid-November and beginning to tail off now. However once the pups leave their mothers at around 3 weeks of age they begin to moult.

Pups at this stage are known as moleys, they become inquisitive, playful and highly entertaining to watch. With newly stored fat layers, weighing an average of 45kg and looking like mini seal Michelin men, they also find it difficult to move and even groom themselves.

With more pups weaning, more moleys start to appear and congregate in moley groups or crèches around the outskirts of haul outs. They stay away from the aggressive nature of bulls and protective mothers. They stick together and appear to just relax and take in new aspects of life including the taste of grass…… (No they don’t eat grass)

They stay together sometimes in groups of more than 20 at times, for an estimated 2 weeks before venturing off into the water and the big wide world.

What am I doing out here and why?

I am here researching and observing behavioural data between mothers and pups. I’m looking into multiple parameters surrounding this behaviour which will be crucial in understanding the population dynamics.

Behavioural work hasn’t actually been conducted on the Islands since the 1950’s so the work on this grey seal colony will be important not only for the U.K, but for the worldwide population.

Behaviours such as, grooming, nursing, aggression, playing, resting and bathing are being recorded for individual mother pup pairs throughout the whole lactation period.

Pups across the Islands are sprayed dyed with non-harmful paint. This allows accurate counts as new colours are used each pup count so after a couple weeks we have a rainbow pup filled Island. The pups I am following are specially marked with double colours or patterns to be able to re sight individual pups each day in a non-intrusive manner.

Observations are carried out at a safe and appropriate distance so no disturbance or disruption is caused to any of the seals. This is not only important for the bonding process of the pups but also to get accurate behavioural research.

You may think that substrate or shore exposure may play the biggest role in site selection for mothers before giving birth. However, water sources such as ponds, pools and the sea shore actually have the largest influence on site choice. Multiple sites are being compared to measure the differences in behaviour and the reasons surrounding it between different water sources and timing in the season.

A lot more research is being carried out within the study period, such as the amount of parental separation time where mothers will go off to bathe, not feed. Mortality measurements and time lapse camera footage of whole populations as well as energy transfer between mother and pups through nursing times will also be recorded.

The findings of this project will provide better understanding of the factors affecting the population dynamics and behaviour of m/p relations on the Farne Islands and how this compares with the research currently around other populations. The project will also give advice on management and future projections for this population and further study needed to understand and maintain this population. For more information please contact:
Robert (Bob) Hunt
Email:  r.hunt@ncl.ac.uk
Marine Science MPhil Student

Blown Away!

Huge winds arrived last week, with the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo hitting on Tuesday.  We were ready and waiting. The island embraced the weather and so did the seals, some better than others.

Female seals have been gathering on and around the Islands all week, with our FIRST pups being born. 124 pups were counted across the outer group on 24^th October with 5 on Brownsman; sadly 2 were stillborn, a common occurrence throughout the season.  Another 10 pups have since been born on Brownsman and pilot behavioral studies have been carried out over the last few days. The main study of the new pups will begin Wednesday 29^th October.

  Where are the Farne Islands?

The Farnes are situated in Northumberland off the coast of Seahouses (south of Berwick upon Tweed). The islands are spread out across 3 miles of the North Sea with the Inner Farnes closest to shore at 2 miles from Seahouses harbour.  A further 1 mile seaward you will reach the outer group.

These islands are home to the majority of pups (94% in the 2013 season being born North and South Wamses, Staple and Brownsman Island). I am situated on Brownsman Island, living in an old decommissioned lighthouse, once occupied by Grace Darling, with 3 National Trust rangers.

The Grey Seals

The seals come ashore once a year to breed and mate in large fairly dense colonies. The two species of seals found round the coast of Britain are harbour (common) seals and grey seals. The distribution of grey seals in the U.K is mainly concentrated in Scotland, the Scottish Isles and the East coast of England.

Grey seals come ashore October to late December to give birth, nurse and mate. The breeding season is very short, lasting only three weeks, compared to other species. Mothers feed throughout the summer and then fast during the whole nursing time while still providing incredibly fatty milk.

This short period means every interaction between mother and pups is incredibly important in the survival of the pups. Throughout this research I will be looking into this in considerable depth.

The Farne island grey seals are an extremely important population not only for the U.K. but for the worldwide population of this species. Averaging an estimate of 5000 seals and in 2013 a pup count of 1575 was recorded. The 2013 mortality rate was 26%, although in bad storm years the rate can exceed 50%. I will be monitoring the mortality closely and hoping for a good year.

Both Dr Per Berggren, School of Marine Science & Technology and Dr Richard Bevan, School of Biology, supervise my research and assist with ideas and guidance throughout my time on the islands.

The next blog will focus on my research, methods and aims as well as more updates on seal numbers and pup births.

For more information please contact:
Robert (Bob) Hunt
Email:  r.hunt@ncl.ac.uk
Marine Science MPhil Student

Lots of wind, not many pups

I arrived on the island late Friday afternoon. This is my second time researching on the Farnes as I researched mother pup behavior briefly for my undergraduate degree in 2012. The research and experience from this has left me wanting more from seal research and when asked to come back to Newcastle University to study for my Masters I just had to take the opportunity to work out here again.

After a year researching in America the grey seal pupping seasons is here and so am I!

I was scheduled to come over a week ago but the weather has been against us. High winds and swells have meant the boat hasn’t been able to get to shore but a small weather window has allowed me to get here. Now I’m ready to research for the next 2 months.

A little background.

My initial love for nature came from my family in England and the States and especially my Dad always being so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about it.

I graduated from Newcastle University in 2013 majoring in Marine Zoology and have since lived in America for the last 9 months studying Northern fur seals during pupping season in Alaska. I also spent a month tagging killer whales along the Pacific North West coast with NOAA.

I have an avid interest in Marine Mammals and focusing my research in this area. My supervisor Dr Per Berggren has been instrumental in helping me explore and delve into my passion with marine mammals and will also be supporting me with this research.

So what will I be writing about, studying and doing out here?

I will be writing about life on the islands, accommodation, conditions, the positives and the negatives, and all the things I will be doing here with as many pictures of pups, mothers, bulls and other wildlife.  Updates on the seal population, weather, interesting animals that visit and of course the pups. I will write pieces on Grey seals themselves, their behaviour and most importantly the breeding season, but also on my research and methods.

My main focus while out here will be to see the differences in mother/ pup pair behaviour between different shore and inland exposures and substrates and also temporally, how they differ throughout the breeding season.

I will also look at population dynamics across the islands with the help of time lapse photography and use non-invasive methods of determining energy transfer from mother to pup throughout the breeding season here on the Farnes.

The Farne Island grey seal pups often have an annual high mortality rate, so specific measurements and locations will be recorded and age and sex of deceased pups to see if any conclusions can be drawn to further understand this mortality.

High winds are expected throughout this weekend and early next week, no pups are currently on Brownsman (where I am living) but a few are already scattered across other islands. I will focus these next few days on setting up equipment and trailing methods to perfect the study once we get pups.

The next blog will give background on the island and the current seal population as well as any updates.

For more information please contact:
Robert (Bob) Hunt
Email:  r.hunt@ncl.ac.uk
Marine Science MPhil Student