Antarctic fur seals that were hunted to near extinction have recovered but now face dangerous decline because of a lack of food, new research suggests. The study of fur seals, almost all of which live on the sub-Antarctic islands of South Georgia, shows that the modern-day population peaked in 2009 at about 3.5 million—a healthy […]
Tag: seals

A ‘whalecam’, seals v sharks and fish that play dead: it’s Planet Earth III
A detachable “whalecam”, remote underwater cameras operated from a director’s bedroom and a “drone ballet” are among the innovations that will be featured for the first time on David Attenborough’s Planet Earth III. Following the global success of 2016’s BBC’s Planet Earth II and its famous “snakes v iguanas” scene, the corporation’s natural history unit […]

Baby Seal Does “Crazy Flops” In Cute Video
There are few things in this world cuter than a baby seal! An adorable video showing one rescued cutie is going viral. Posted by Eden Willmott, a seal rescuer in the U.K, to the account @sealrescuer, the video shows a baby harbor seal hurrying to greet her in anticipation of their morning bath. The seal’s […]

Petition: Tell the NOAA to Investigate the Cause of a Seal Pup’s Death
Another tragedy has struck the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The body of Ho’omau Lehua, a beautiful Hawaiian monk seal, was found dead. The sweet seal pup was only four months old when she died. Authorities claim the cause of death is unclear, but seals live an average of thirty years in the wild. For an animal to […]

Seal’s mystery ability to tolerate toxic metal could aid medical research, say scientists
A creature that humans came very close to obliterating now offers hope that we may be able to find ways to tackle one of the most pernicious environmental poisons, say scientists. Their research has revealed that one of the world’s most isolated aquatic mammals, Arctocephalus philippii, can tolerate high levels of cadmium, as well as […]

How One Curious Seal Led Scientists to a Climate Disaster
Climate change is a complex issue, and scientists are constantly working to uncover new evidence that helps us understand the dangers we face. But sometimes, clues to a potential disaster can come from the most unlikely of places. Such is the case with a curious seal and a wayward robot that helped scientists uncover a […]

2,500 Caspian seals found dead along Russian coastline
About 2,500 seals have been found dead on the Caspian Sea coast in southern Russia, officials said on Sunday. Regional officials initially reported on Saturday that 700 dead seals had been found on the coast, but the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment later raised the figure to about 2,500. Authorities in the Russian […]

How hair dye is helping conservation of Australian sea lion population
An innovative new project is using human hair dye on Australian sea lions at Carnac and Seal Islands off the coast of Perth to track and learn about the local population. Edith Cowan University (ECU) are jointly leading the project with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) marine researchers, in collaboration with Department of […]