Annual fur seal census

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This week at Macquarie Island: 4 March 2011

Fur seal researchers Rob and Dean coordinated the annual population census of the island’s fur seals last weekend, as part of their fur seal population and ecology studies. This involved 14 of our current 24 islanders walking the coastline of most of the island, identifying and counting the Antarctic, Sub-Antarctic and New Zealand fur seals. The information is very useful in understanding how the island’s fur seal population is still recovering from long ago near-extinction by the fur trade, with subsequent recruitment to the breeding population of animals of the three different species.

Expeditioner ready to hike
Fur seal biologist Rob takes a team of seal counters into Goat...

(Photo: : Craig Hilder)

Expeditioners hike towards seals
Mick and Rob approaching a group of fur seals in Goat Bay

(Photo: Craig Hilder)

Expeditioners amongst vegetation
Rob and Craig spotting seals.

(Photo: Mick Whittle)

Hookers sea lion
This less often seen young Hooker’s sea lion was observed with a...

(Photo: Ivor Harris)

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This page was last modified on 4 March 2011.