Seal conservation

Seal Conservation

From 1992 to 1994, the Dyfed Wildlife Trust conducted a survey of Atlantic Grey Seals off the coast of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. They looked at seal diets and factors governing disturbance of seal pups, especially on the beaches. The pups are generally born during September, October and early November on the beaches and in the rocky coves and caves around the coast. The pup stays on dry land for three weeks until it has moulted its fluffy white coat and been weaned off its mother. During this time it will have gained weight rapidly, from about 30 pounds at birth to 90 pounds at three weeks.

In order to monitor the number of seal births, a team from the Wildlife Trust, using a large inflatable craft, travelled up and down the West Wales coast, forever checking for recent births. If they spotted a new pup in a cove, one of their members, very often Mick Baines, would swim to the cove in his rubber diving suit and spray a large blue mark on the white pup's back. This ensured that the same pup was not counted twice. If they came to a cave, the diver would swim into the back of the cave to check if there was a pup on the dry shingle. Great care had to be taken, as the mother is fiercely protective of her offspring and has a fearsome set of teeth! She can also move surprisingly fast for such a cumbersome looking animal!!

The Dyfed Wildlife Trust is now known as the Wildlife Trust for West Wales. The Countryside Council for Wales is also now involved in seal monitoring work. Mr Mick Baines, who lives locally, has done a great deal of work over the years involving both seal and dolphin conservation.

In 2001, he was involved in the "Sea Watch Interreg Project in Cardigan Bay". This project which lasted a year, received European funding and covered the Moray Firth off north east Scotland and the coast of Brittany as well as Cardigan Bay. It was set up by the Countryside Council for Wales. The project involved the monitoring of cetaceans, especially bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises, in these sea areas. 'Sea Watch' staff and volunteers working from a dedicated vessel, undertook transect surveys and photographic identification of individual cetaceans. Marks and nicks on the dorsal fins were used to identify particular animals. Fish shoals were recorded with special sonar equipment. The end result is, hopefully, a better understanding of the habitat use by the dolphins. It is now estimated that there are 210 dolphins in Cardigan Bay. These must be protected. Apart from being wonderful animals, they are very important for the Welsh tourism industry.

It is thought that the reason that they spend so much time around Cardigan Island and the Teifi Estuary on calm days, is that it is at these times that the sewin or sea trout are to be found in the sea close to the estuary. After windy weather and heavy rain, many of the sewin swim back up the River Teifi to spawn. Later they return to the sea to feed, once more attracting the dolphins.

For more information on the Sea Watch Foundation's work on cetaceans visit their website at www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk

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