Dolpin (9) Flashcards
What’s this fine fellow doing?
It’s bottling! “Bottling” is a term used to describe when seals sleep in the water with only their nose exposed.
What type of social structure do adult harbor seals typically exhibit?
Adult harbor seals are usually solitary and rarely interact other than to mate.
How do harbor seals behave when they haul out?
They often haul out in loosely organized groups and maintain a space of a meter or more between each other.
How do young harbor seals interact within their groups?
Young harbor seals interact with each other on the fringes of the group and stay away from adults.
What changes occur in the behavior of harbor seals as they mature?
They become less playful and less tolerant of close contact.
- When do harbor seals typically haul out?
- What might stop them from hauling out?
Harbor seals can haul out any time of the day or night, often limited by tide height.
During which times of the day are harbor seals more likely to haul out?
They are more likely to haul out during afternoon and evening hours.
What is the general behavior of harbor seals while on land?
They rarely move from one location and remain alert, frequently turning their heads to watch for danger.
What do harbor seals do when they are alarmed on land?
They flush quickly into the water.
What pattern do harbor seals show regarding haul-out sites (Hint: where do they like to haul-out)?
They tend to return to one or two particular haul-out sites with regularity within a season.
How does the preferred haul-out site for harbor seals change?
The preferred sites may change seasonally.
Is fighting common among harbor seals?
Fighting is rare, except between competing males during the mating season.
How many sub-species of harbour seal are there?
Five
In which two oceans can the European harbour seal be found?
North Atlantic and North Pacific
What is the estimated population of harbour seals in Europe?
About 100,000
What percentage of the harbour seal population in Europe is found in UK waters?
30% - this equates to 30,000 harbour seals.
What percentage of the harbour seal population in the UK is found in Scottish waters?
80%
What is the global population estimate of grey seals?
Around 400,000
What percentage of the global grey seal population lives in UK waters?
40% - this equates to 160,000 grey seals.
UK waters are a significant habitat for grey seals.
What percentage of grey seals in the UK breed in Scotland?
90%
What is the head shape of harbour seals?
Rounded, dog-like head with a steep forehead and eyes at the front of their face
Where do harbour seals prefer to come ashore?
In sheltered waters
How far do harbour seals usually feed from their haul-out site?
Within 40-50 km
When do female harbour seals give birth?
In June and July
Where do female harbour seals often return to give birth?
Haul-out sites where they themselves were born
What is notable about the coat of harbour seal pups at birth?
They are born having already shed their white coat in the womb
Can harbour seal pups swim immediately after birth?
Yes
How do the sizes of grey seals compare to harbour seals?
Grey seals are much bigger than harbour seals - adult males can weigh up to 300 kg and can be 2m in length - adult harbour seals are 1.5m in length.
What is the size comparison between adult male and female grey seals?
Adult females are smaller than the males - this is a common characteristic among many seal species.
Describe the facial features of grey seals (2 Points).
- Long, sloping ‘Roman nose’
- Their eyes are positioned more towards the sides of their head (compared to harbour seals).
