The status of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) at Lundy, 2008-2009

Stephen Westcott. stephenwestcote@yahoo.co.uk

ContentsSummary

Introduction to LundyIntroduction to grey sealsIntroducing the historical use of sites by seals in SW EnglandIntroducing the seals at Lundy in the UK context

1. Aims2. Methods3. Health and safety protocol

4. Results4.1 Pup production4.2 Pup mortality4.3 Moulting 4.4 Abundance & distribution

5. Discussion5.1 Pup production5.2 Pup mortality5.3 Abundance & distribution

6. Acknowledgements7. References

8. Recommendations: Management plan9. Managing impacts and potential impacts

Tables:1: Lundy sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 20092: Lundy sea cave sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 2009. 3: Lundy beach sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 2009

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SummaryGrey seals use Lundy sites the year round in numbers that appear to vary little from month to month. It is likely that seals present at any time number around 125 individuals, with females outnumbering males. Annual pup production, currently, appears to be 40 – 45, probably varying from year to year according to sea conditions. Firstborn pups are most likely to be located in west coast sea caves and clefts. Later born pups appear on remote beaches. The season of pup production extends from late August to mid-October, with a small number of pups born outside that period (until late January, in this survey). The annual moult takes place between December and March.

At present, seals when hauled out are not subject to much disturbance because the sites they use are difficult to access from the land. However, there are many reports of seal-diver interactions that, evidently, reflect seal curiosity about divers as much as vice versa. Some reports suggest that female divers when experiencing menstruation are subject to oppressive harassment from seals.

Future seal studies should be mounted from Lundy so as to take best advantage of weather windows.

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Introduction to LundyLundy is an island situated, in effect, at the frontier between the Atlantic Ocean and the Bristol Channel, at 51°10’ North, 4°40’ West. It is situated in an area that is known to some as the Severn Sea, some 11 miles NNW of Hartland Point, Devon and 33 miles south of the south Wales coast.

It rises as a cliff-girt island massif about 375 feet above sea level. The top of the island resembles a gently undulating plateau above the high and often steep cliffs. It measures approximately three and a half miles in length by about a half-mile in width and is orientated (approximately) north - south. It has an area of 852hectares.

The west coast is exposed to the predominantly southwesterly winds and to the full power of the Atlantic waves. As a consequence, storm beaches have been formed at the back of some sea caves. Strong tidal races scour the north and south coasts of the Island. Although both north and south coasts are exposed, the south coast does include beaches where refuge can be taken. The east coast is relatively sheltered. It has several (mainly boulder) beaches.

There are very few places where relatively easy access to the sea can be achieved from the top of the island. The easiest access to the sea is achieved via the road down to the jetty in Landing Bay, at the SE corner of the island. There are steps down to a very small platform near the lighthouse at the north end, by Kittiwake Gully, and there is a more difficult track with some steps at Montagu’s Steps, near the SW point of the island.

The island is owned by the Landmark Trust.

In 1986, Lundy was designated the first statutory Marine Nature Reserve in the UK. It includes the foreshore as well as the coastal waters of Lundy.

Access to Lundy by sea is achieved via the MV Oldenburg, which operates from Ilfracombe or Bideford between late March and October, or via a boat service operated from Clovelly. Access to Lundy by air can be achieved via a helicopter service operating from Hartland, while a small number of people kayak across from the mainland.

Introduction to grey sealsGrey seals are the larger of the two species of seal that breed in the British Isles. If weight is the criterion used, they are the largest wild mammals breeding ashore in the British Isles, adult males growing to 350kgs while females grow to 250kgs. Males may live for up to 25 years, females up to 35 years, according to current knowledge.

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Males are believed to breed from the age of 10, females breed from the age of 3-5 onwards.

Grey seals occur in three main groupings only in the temperate and Arctic seas of the North Atlantic: on Sable Island and the east coast of Canada, in the Baltic Sea and in the NE Atlantic between Russia, Norway and Iceland in the north and Brittany, SW Britain, Eire and the Wadden Sea in the south. Among the seals of the world, they are relatively uncommon, the total population being less than half a million.

In recent years, estimates of the numbers of grey seals occurring in the various regions of Britain have come to be regarded as being subject to uncertainty. However, UK grey seal numbers are believed to represent 45% of the world population and 85% of seals born in the NE Atlantic outside the Baltic Sea. A recent point estimate for the number of adult seals occurring in the UK is 133,000. Of these, more than 90% occur at Scottish sites – especially the Western and Northern Isles (SCOS Main Advice 2007, SMRU).

The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) has done minimal work in SW England and Wales and so is not in a position to offer an accurate estimate for the numbers of pups born annually. However, they propose an estimate of 1750 pups born in SW England and Wales, based on work carried out for the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) and Natural England (NE), with the trend being an ‘increase’ in the population size.

SMRU survey visits to discover pup production in SW Britain are almost non-existent, with even these few being rendered unsuccessful by a combination of the sea conditions they encountered as well as by their lack of knowledge as to the location of nursery sites (e.g. Prime, 1985) and the timing of the season of pup production. No record has been found of any visit by SMRU to Lundy.

In the British Isles, the seals breeding at SW Britain sites (Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Wales, the Isle of Man) and Brittany are currently recognised as being genetically distinct from those using Scottish sites. Studies by Thompson and others have shown that individual grey seals exhibit varying behaviours. For example, some forage several hundred kilometres from their ‘fishing station’ in trips that last for several days. Many forage no more than 100kms from the haul-out site they are using as a base. Other studies (McConnell et al, 1992) have shown that some but not all seals move from one locality to another during the course of a year, for reasons including using another foraging area, or in order to engage in breeding activity.

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Grey seals may spend between 85-90% of their lives in the sea.

These discoveries have implications for how we should regard the seals that use Lundy sites. Indeed, rather than seeing the ‘seals of Lundy’, rather we should regard the seals as belonging to a NE Atlantic sea area that comprises the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea, the Western Approaches, la Mer d’Iroise (off west Brittany) and the English Channel.

Introducing the historical use of sites by seals in SW England

Grey seals have used sites along the coasts of southwest England perhaps for longer than have human beings. They have always used sea caves, remote beaches, islands and skerries for hauling out. They have always used the adjacent waters to such sites as water resting places. They have always ventured into estuaries. During the ice ages and in the northerly parts of their range, they would have hauled out on to the ice at the water margins as they do today in the Arctic.

Their remains have been found in Bronze Age middens in the Isles of Scilly. They would have been one of the principal target species of the earliest hunters.

The earliest and most illuminating historical record of seals was made by Carew in his Survey of Cornwall (1602). In this manuscript, he made the earliest written reference for the region to the fact that they used sea caves: ‘They also come on land and lie sleeping in holes of the cliffe…’ ‘Hole’ is a Middle English word used for ‘cave’ (‘Ogo’ is the (Celtic) Cornish word for ‘cave’). The significance of this evidence is that the use of sea caves has been a long-term phenomenon. In effect, they have ‘always’ done it, even at a time – four centuries ago – when the southwest England coasts were infinitely less accessible to people than they are today.

Dr. William Borlase also made reference to cave use by seals in ‘The Natural History of Cornwall’ (1758): ‘It is common in the caves and on shores of Cornwall which are least frequented…’; and again, in 1763, he wrote: ‘The narrow beach in the innermost parts of the caves afford resting-places for the seals and nurseries for their young’. The 1763 memoir contains the first recorded reference to the use of sea caves as nursery sites as well as resting-places.

There is a fleeting glimpse into long-term use by seals of specific sites offered in 1667 by John Rae: ‘On the rock called the Longships they often, in calm weather, find the phocae, which they call soiles, sleeping…’ Grey seals were not distinguished accurately from other seal species using British waters until the nineteenth century, so the

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elegant reference to phocae should not here be taken to refer to the harbour (or common) seal, Phoca vitulina, which occurs historically and currently only as an occasional visitor to the waters of southwest England. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the Longships site remains one of the principal haul-out sites used by the seals of the region.

It is important to recognise that most of the sites used by grey seals in the southwest region currently have been used at least for many decades (Steven, 1935) and probably for very much longer. For example, as indicated in the references above, the use of sea caves is not an act of retiral by the seals in response to the enormous increase of use of the coastal zone through the twentieth and into the twenty-first centuries. It is something they have always chosen to do. Similarly, the use of the Longships haul-out site is very long-term.

To date, any abandonment or near-abandonment of specific sites is likely to have resulted, primarily, from cliff falls that have rendered a site uninhabitable, by increasing use of the site by people or – in some but not all instances - by culling.

In the nineteenth century on Lundy, there are anecdotes describing how sailors used to make irregular visits to Seal’s Hole on Lundy to club seals to death. This remains the best-known seal cave on Lundy and yet continues to be used, the year round, by seals.

Introducing the seals at Lundy in the UK contextThe seals that occur at Lundy are grey seals. During this survey, no harbour (common) seals were observed, although it is highly probable that they do occur occasionally, as at other sites along SW Britain coasts.

The nearest ‘neighbouring’ localities where relatively large numbers of grey seals assemble during at least part of the year are:

The Boscastle-Cambeak coast in North Cornwall, approximately 30 miles away.

Skomer and Skokholm, off the southwest Wales coast, less than 50 miles away.

Ramsey, off the southwest Wales coast, approximately 60 miles away.

From the ‘viewpoint’ of the seals, geographically Lundy appears to be a hinge point – a junction – between the seals of SW England and those of SW Wales.

At Lundy, grey seals are close to the southern limit of their breeding range in the NE Atlantic.

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Nearly all that was known of the seals at Lundy prior to this study is recorded in the Lundy Field Society Annual Reports, although some relevant information is recorded in Nature in Wales (produced sometimes bi-annually, sometimes annually, over the period of its existence). Other anecdotes occur in books written about Lundy.

The context in which grey seals find themselves at Lundy at the outset of the twenty-first century is as follows:

They continue to use sites that they have used throughout living memory - in some cases, for centuries. Only rarely do they colonise ‘new’ sites. Why new sites are colonised is not known, but may be as a result of cliff falls obliterating sites previously used or due to persecution by humans, as at Portreath in the last Cornwall seals cull (between 1934-1951).

Most of the sites currently used are on stretches of the north, west and south coasts that remain remote and can easily be rendered inaccessible by adverse sea conditions.

The coastal zone of Lundy is extremely attractive to people and is heavily used for leisure activities, especially diving, kayaking, sea angling and climbing.

Since 2000, there has been an increase in the use of jet boats and high performance rigid-hulled inflatable boats licensed to run high speed, optionally long distance, marine eco-tourism operations both along the coast and out to sea throughout the entire year. Their objective is to try to provide their passengers with sightings of and relatively close approach to the charismatic marine animals of local seas. At present, these include:

Minke, fin and humpback whales. Bottlenose, common and Risso’s dolphins. Harbour porpoises.Pilot whales and orcas.Leatherback turtles.Sharks, especially basking sharks.Grey and harbour seals.Ocean sunfish.

Of these, sightings of only one species can be (virtually) guaranteed at a given time and place. It is well known among eco-tourism operators that grey seals are conservative in site use, with the period around low tide being the time when they are most likely to be found ashore.

Therefore, among marine animals, grey seals are uniquely vulnerable to daily disturbance at haul-out sites during periods when sea conditions are relatively quiet.

For several decades, traditional ‘tripper’ boats (varying greatly in size) have carried passengers to Lundy from North Devon harbours

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between Ilfracombe and Clovelly. These operations continue, with ‘seeing the seals’ featuring prominently in the advertisements.

Since c.2000, commercial operators have been offering ‘swim-with-seals’ operations to the public in SW England. These may take place at any phase of the tide. It can be argued that seals will approach swimmers only if they elect to. However, such operations have been observed to drive hauled out seals into the sea at the outset of the encounter.

All of the commercial operations described above inevitably spawn ‘copycat’ imitators from among the general public. Potentially, this multiplies the impacts on the sites used by the seals, influencing their behaviour.

Lastly, in the context of an increasing awareness and knowledge of local seals and the sites they use, and the various ways in which they are exploited (see above), it seems both likely and desirable that there will be an increase in the activities of individuals and groups of people observing and recording seals at local sites. It is likely that their principal concerns will be to see seals sustained at ‘favourable conservation status’ while being subjected to least possible disturbance and other forms of harm.

There will stem from this a continuing interest in seals by the various media as well as by students and artists.

Taken together, these several factors combine to describe a picture of intense and increasing pressures on seals and the sites they use. That is, pressures upon a species of seal, described as ‘uncommon’ in world terms, for which the U.K. has accepted particular responsibilities under international agreements.

However, the range and scale of pressures that are being exerted on those seals occurring along southwest England coasts also amount to an exciting opportunity to develop and apply novel management measures that should yield benefits to the seals, the sites they use as well as to the people who have an interest in them. That is particularly true for Lundy.

Such measures work best where they are fair, proportionate and least intrusive. Therefore, in designing these management plans, where – in effect – people are requested not to do something, the intention will be to seek out a quid pro quo that compensates for any freedom that is surrendered.

In the current and foreseeable financial climate, little funding is likely to be available to support the long-term studies of seal sites, identity and movements that will be necessary to inform and refine

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management of current and potential sites and issues. For that reason, it is anticipated that the warden, assisted by licensed and trained volunteers, will implement the action plans.

1. AimsThe principal aim is to produce a baseline study that will serve to commence a long-term seal study on Lundy. It would develop this initial perception of the abundance and distribution of seals and the timing of important events in their year into a monitoring of trends and changes over time. It would contribute to any investigation into why change may be happening.

The Lundyphot seal identification catalogue (and its future development) will contribute to a developing regional effort to construct crude life histories of individual seals, their behaviours and their movements around the greater sea area of SW Britain-Eire-Brittany.

Results from these studies and the way of storing them are intended to make it simple for coastal managers to make decisions relating to seals and the sites they use on Lundy which allow them to remain at favourable conservation status. A management plan is also produced here to assist that process.

This baseline study sets out to: Identify nursery sites. Count number of pups born. Describe the season of pup production Monitor the fate of pups. Opportunistically, begin photo-ID catalogue for Lundy seals,

including a category identifying seal mothers, attendant males and pelage markings of moulted pups.

Identify year-round abundance and distribution of seals at haul-out sites and adjacent water resting places.

Describe the season of moulting. Outline site-based and seal-based database features. Possibly, to respond to issues concerning seals arising during

the survey.

The original aim had been to run a baseline study to determine the number of grey seal pups being born at sites on Lundy, and

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therefore estimate the seal population size. The SMRU arrives at the grey seal population size for the UK by extrapolating outward from the numbers of pups born each year (although methods are currently being revised).

However, this aim was revised because a fluctuation in seal numbers through the year that cannot be guessed at from pup numbers has been noted during year-round distribution and abundance studies conducted in southwest England, north Wales and Cumbria (Westcott, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008).

While breeding is universally recognised as an important season in the seal year, the season of moulting has received far less attention in grey seal studies.

It is important to recognise which sites are most used by seals under the various weather and, especially, sea conditions. This has a crucial bearing on sites that might need to be monitored in any future study of trends in disturbance caused by people and their effects upon the seals.

Where circumstances permitted, images of individual seals were captured and entered into a seal-based identification catalogue. This is a tool that will grow in value through the years. It allows crude life histories to be compiled for a sample of seals and should yield (behavioural) insights into site fidelity, fidelity to other seals and, in the event that disturbance becomes a larger issue than it appears to be at present, would allow the effects on individuals to be assessed.

The intention is that images should be freely shared with any other party involved in seal photo-identification, perhaps with reference to advice from Natural England. This non-intrusive tool will allow out-of-area seal movements to be better understood.

All data gathered on this survey is to be entered into a site-based database. The structure of the database is outlined in this report and can be used in future to hold any seal data gathered on Lundy.

The final component of this survey will be to run a training programme to help Lundy-based people and Natural England personnel to monitor the seals in such a way that results will be repeatable and comparable over time and between sites.

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2. Methods2.1 Study areaThis grey seal survey was conducted at Lundy.

Map 1: Lundy.

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Lundy.

2.2 Literature reviewUnder normal circumstances, an initial review of the literature would have been carried out. However, the contract for this work was not initially confirmed until 17 September 2008 and the first visit to Lundy was not made until 23 September 2008. Consequently, the review was carried out in the evenings of days during which initial fieldwork was conducted.

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The primary source of references to seals at Lundy was the various editions of the Lundy Field Society Annual Reports.

2.3 Site accessCommencing fieldwork by locating seal pups was the priority, as previous pupping studies at southwest England sites (as well as records held in the Lundy Field Society annual reports) show that pups are born from July onwards, although not necessarily in all years. Furthermore, at the nearest neighbouring grey seal breeding site – the Boscastle coast in north Cornwall – pups are regularly born from June onwards.

Nearly all fieldwork was conducted, of necessity, by approaching seal sites from the sea.

In order to keep the carbon footprint, as well as noise and costs, to a minimum, a wave ski was used to access all sites throughout the survey. This craft resembles a large surfboard but is paddled as you might paddle a kayak. The polypropylene construction ensures that if in collision with rocks, no damage will be done to the ski. It does not puncture and neither can it be dinged.

The paddle is attached to the ski by rope. An ankle leash is attached to an anchorage point to the wave ski. The dry bags are attached to an anchorage point on the ski. Consequently, in the event of a capsize, nothing is lost. The lightweight craft can be easily righted.

A life jacket is worn over a wetsuit at all times. Wet suit boots are worn at all times. A dry suit would be too warm and bulky to allow paddling with comfort. In cold weather, a hat and wetsuit gloves are worn. In rough conditions, a peaked cap is worn to keep seawater from the eyes.

It was essential to make reference to a tidal flow atlas for Lundy. In addition, because such atlases cannot be expected to be consistently accurate, conversations were made with people who kayaked regularly in the Island waters. These conversations included discussion of the location of places of refuge along coasts apparently offering minimal refuge.

An initial circumnavigation of Lundy was made on 24 September, on a neap tide. This was designed to identify all potential seal sites, especially sea caves, as well as places that might offer refuge in the event of misadventure. Many of these were explored. It developed into a partial survey because so many seal pups (including moulted and weaned individuals) were found.

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The fact that 19 pups (including moulted individuals) were located during that initial fieldwork indicated that the survey was commencing belatedly. Any future study to determine pup production for the Island sites should be continual. If that is impossible, site visits seeking pups should be made from June onward

The methods deployed are more fully described in Westcott, 2008.

The following general guidelines were observed throughout: Always seek to make a quiet landing at sea cave and remote

beach sites, to try to avoid alerting any seals present. Always land on one or other wing of the site, or in such a

situation that you can make best use of the available topography so as to avoid alerting any seals present. Most typically, this would entail moving along a cliff base.

Be aware that lone seals often rest at the base of a cliff rather than in the middle of the fairway.

Be mindful that seals can be very well camouflaged: their pelages can make them all but invisible to the scanning eye.

Move as quietly as possible. In the bedrock and boulder environment that predominates on Lundy, always try to tread on the largest or most stable boulders. Treading on the smaller boulders and cobbles results in much more noise being made. If there is the possibility of being observed by a seal, crouch as you move – present the least ‘human’ appearance.

In the event of coming face to face with a seal, if you have your camera held in front of your face, there is less likelihood that the seal will startle.

However, in general, it is only rarely that seals in a sea cave will remain unaware of an intruder into their domain. Disturbance is almost inevitable. Nevertheless, the scale of the disturbance can be managed by practising, unfailingly, ‘quiet’ behaviour.

The aim of the site visit is to spend the least time there and, ideally, to remain unseen throughout.

Information collected included: Site plans, drawn approximately to scale and concentrating on

the nature of the sea cave floor as well as any obstacles threatening safe navigation through the approaches to the cave. This is best collected during spring or early summer, when seals are least likely to be present and when sea conditions are less dangerous.

Count the number of seals present, distinguishing males from females from yearlings. If the sex is unknown, do not guess but record it as unknown.

Note the position of any seal assembly on the site.

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Count pups and attempt to ‘age’ them. Capture photographic images of the head and neck (left and

right profiles) and chest of individual seals. Note the behaviour of the seals (e.g. are they moulting; is

there aggression; are they unusually relaxed?). Note any human activity on or in the vicinity of the site.

After each (monthly) visit to Lundy, a field report was sent to the Lundy warden and to Natural England (Exeter) to keep interested parties abreast of progress.

A wave ski was used to transport the fieldworker and survey equipment to the seal sites. This kept the carbon footprint to the barest minimum, which is an important element of any conservation project.

In addition, it allowed a near silent approach to, and a near silent landfall to be made on, the seal sites. This meant landfall could be achieved and field equipment could be unpacked and prepared for use without alerting or disturbing the seals.

2.4 Making countsAll counts were made as near as possible to the time of low water, or up to 90 minutes either side of low water. This was because, except where gross disturbance has occurred, this is the time when the largest numbers of seals are likely to be ashore (Westcott, 2002; Westcott & Stringell, 2003).

Counts were made from a position of concealment wherever the terrain permitted.

2.5 Capturing seal identification imagesThere was a simple choice in capturing images: to function, in effect, as a sharpshooter or to use a blunderbuss, either method being entirely acceptable.

I chose the sharpshooter method. This means I took single shots, as the opportunities arose. I chose this method out of habit, but also because I wanted the finest quality images, and because I was afraid that I would run out of space on the memory card if I used the alternative method.

The blunderbuss method entails using the continuous shoot mechanism on the camera. For example, such a method may result in (for example) 10 rather than one image being captured each time a seal was targeted.

When capturing images, the target area of the (grey) seal is the head and neck – always as much of the neck as possible – plus as

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much of the chest as possible. The ideal would be to capture all three images, in order to best facilitate the possibility of recapture.

The other aspect of the ideal pelage would be that it is wet. The dry pelage markings can be matched to images of wet pelages, but with greater difficulty than matching wet to wet.

Whenever possible, images of the side view of one flank of the body of the seal were captured, as this provides an even more failsafe way to identify an individual seal. However, these constituted only a very small minority of the images in the catalogue.

Wherever possible, images were captured of the harbour seals. Almost all these images were captured at long range and provided full flank shots.

All images were downloaded immediately and held in a catalogue for that date. At a later date, the images will be edited and the best available shots of every seal will be entered into the EIRPHOT catalogue or its successor.

2.6 Minimising disturbanceThe effort to minimise disturbance is substantially described in section 3.3.

In effect, the basic requirement is for the fieldworker to know either where the seals are or, at least, where they are likely to be, while remaining aware that the unexpected will occur from time to time, even so. In effect, this is achieved by the following procedure:

While approaching the site, the fieldworker should be scanning ahead, watching for seals as well as hazards.

Ideally, landing should take place at a site not overlooked by the seals so that preparation for fieldwork and initial movements to viewpoints can be invisible to the seals.

A preliminary scan using the naked eye as well as binoculars should be made before working on site. Be aware whether the wind is carrying your scent to or from the seals – their sense of smell is excellent.

In moving, effort should be made to quell any flamboyance. In effect, movement should be dead (head down, arms still) so that nothing might draw attention to it. It seems to help if the (brightness of) face is covered by holding the camera up before it.

Be careful to tread on rocks that will not move. If only small boulders form the substratum, select the largest stones to tread on, as thus footfall will be least noisy.

It helps, where the sun is out, to keep it as far as possible behind you.

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If accessing a cave that may be walked into, conduct the preparation of all essential equipment (torch, camera, towel around shoulders upon which to wipe grit or dampness from hands, notebook and pencil) beyond the line of sight and, so far as possible, beyond the hearing of the seals.

When entering the cave, move slowly, quietly, along the nearest wall, thereby reducing, as far as possible, your human profile. Keep your head down, thereby concealing the (giveaway) brightness of your face.

Use the ambient light for as long as you can. Try not to use your torch until absolutely necessary to do so, as this will herald the most active interlude of your visit.

Counting pups or adults (noting their sex) and immature seals is the priority. Be prepared to capture photographic images if possible. If you find you are capturing only one profile of any seal present, cross over to the far side of the cave to improve your chances of capturing the other profiles.

At no point allow the seals to come between you and the cave entrance – keep your line of retreat open at all times. Researchers have in the past been cornered in sea caves by seals for prolonged periods. In such a situation, do not react with aggression. Their experience suggests that you should adopt a submissive air. I have never experienced such a situation and recommend that you avoid it by keeping clear your line of retreat at all times.

If accessing the cave by use of a wave ski or kayak, make sure that your torch is attached to your clothing by a carabina. Use a waterproof camera or camcorder, because if something can happen, odds are that it will. Use a dry bag stowed inside a second, larger dry bag to carry the items you need for your work. It is sensible to carry two middle-sized towels, one for laying out equipment upon landing, one for keeping hands dry and clean when handling, especially, the photographic equipment.

At all times, try to cause least disturbance and to spend the least possible time on site.

2.7 Daily writing up of field notes and data storageIn the field, notes were made in a notebook or on a slate board using a 2B pencil.

Upon return to base, the notes were written up in the following order:

1. Environmental data and survey results were entered into the database.

2. The images captured during that day were downloaded and filed.

3. The daily count data was entered on to an Excel spreadsheet.

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4. Finally, a prose account of the survey effort of that day was recorded, which included detail of the sex and age breakdown for the various sub-assemblies

Health and safety protocolA health and safety protocol was developed, drawing on the relevant chapter in Westcott, 2008, but also in response to local conditions.

In practise, on Lundy, the following steps were taken: Before departing on an expedition, the warden or her

assistant were informed. The intended survey area was described, along with most likely places of refuge in that area. An approximate time of return was nominated.

Upon returning from the expedition, the warden or her assistant were informed.

A waterproof EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon), provided by the warden, was carried every time an expedition was made. In the event of misadventure occurring in a sea cave, the EPIRB would be activated and thrown into the sea (as it cannot function when in a cave.

All equipment was carried inside one dry bag stowed inside a second bag (in order that if the outer bag was punctured by barnacles or something other, the inner bag and its contents would remain waterproof).

No expedition was made if the sea state exceeded Beaufort force 4 – not exclusively for reasons of safety but also because it is very difficult to land or depart from Lundy sea caves and beaches, where the substrate nearly always consists of bedrock or boulders.

The course taken on the water always sought to avoid hazards, most especially the two tide races – there are, in effect, little ‘alleyways’ both at the SW and NW corners which allow the races to be partially by-passed.

A lifejacket was worn at all times. A fully charged mobile phone (containing the numbers of the

Swansea Coastguard, the warden, the assistant wardens and other islanders) and a fully charged VHF radio were carried on every expedition (SW holds a VHF radio operators license, having qualified earlier in 2008).

A compass was carried at all times, to be used in the event of mist coming down or being swept away in one of the tide races.

A first aid kit was carried at all times (SW renewed his basic first aid qualification in 2008).

Two fully charged Kowalski torches were carried at all times.

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Several towels were carried, in part to protect all items carried in the dry bags in the event of collision with a rock, but also for wiping grit from hands before using photographic equipment or making notes. They could also potentially function to staunch heavy blood flow, at need.

In addition, SW has a current qualification in Survival at Sea. He qualified as a MCA Boatmaster in 2008. He swims and paddles the wave ski most days of every year and has done over the past 20 years.

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4. Results4.1 Pup ProductionIn both the full 2008-2009 season, and for the first four weeks of the 2009-2010 season, white-coated grey seal pups were found on remote beaches and on sea cave beaches. Dead pups were found in sea cave entrance waters and in the shallows off a boulder beach.

The earliest known births occurred at the end of August: two were estimated to have been born on 30 August 2008. The last births occurred in late January: estimated to have been the 23 and 25 January 2009.

The earlier births were predominantly at sea cave sites. Only later were pups born at remote boulder beach sites backed by cliffs. It is likely that a small proportion of such pups had been born at sea cave sites and had swum to open beach sites due to environmental conditions (wave action on to nursery beaches) or to conflict and aggression between seal mothers (some seal mothers aggressively deny passage around them by other mothers attempting to reach pups deeper inside the cave). This may have been especially true for the beginning of the 2009-2010, when sea conditions were generally more disturbed than during the previous season.

In 2008-2009:23 pups were born on sea cave beaches. 15 pups were born on remote, boulder beaches.

17 of the first 23 pups to be located were born on sea cave beaches. It appears that the early births occur predominantly in sea caves.

Of the 38 births recorded, 27 took place in September. 2 took place in August, 3 in October, 2 in November, 2 in December and 2 in January.

Of the 38 births recorded, 3 definitely died prior to weaning. Of the remaining 35 seals, 18 were seen weaned and moulted. The remainder were not seen as weaned individuals, due to the monthly timing of the visits and problems of site access due to adverse sea conditions.

The main nursery site was Halfway Bay Beach, a wide boulder beach with tiny coves remaining uncovered at high water, just south of Tibbett’s Point.

In December, one sea cave, previously undiscovered during this survey, was identified at the north end of the Island. In discussions with Roger Fursdon, engineer for the Island, it became clear that the site – Virgin Springs Seal Hole – may be one of the most important

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nursery sites on Lundy. Therefore, the pup production estimate for Lundy (and for the sea cave sites) is likely to be underestimated by at least 5 pups. The date when pup production began could also be earlier than this study identified, although a site visit on 24 August 2009 found that pup production had not yet begun.

In 2009-2010:15 pups were born on sea cave beaches. 8 pups were born on remote, boulder beaches.

15 of the first 23 pups to be located were born on sea cave beaches, supporting the notion formed in the previous season that the early births occur predominantly in sea caves.

Of the 23 births recorded, all took place in September.

Of the 23 births recorded, only one definitely died prior to weaning. Of the remaining 22 seals, only 3 were seen weaned and moulted. The remainder were not seen as weaned individuals, mainly because of the slightly later onset in pup production in the 2009-2010 season.

The main nursery sites to this point in the season of pup production were Jenny’s Seal Hole (a west coast sea cave with a substrate of large boulders and three tunnels leading off the main fairway) and Montagu’s Steps, here classified as a remote beach but actually a complex of small caves, a cleft and boulder beaches, sheltered behind Goat Island near the SW tip of the island .

4.2 Pup mortalityOf the 38 pups produced at Lundy in the 2008-2009 season of pup production, two died very early, being abandoned or stillborn. A third pup was abandoned during lactation, at Montagu’s Steps. This compares with only one known mortality in the season commencing September 2009.

There was no evidence of any other pup dying prior to weaning.

Table 1: Lundy sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 2009Ref. No.

Date of birth

Location Place in sequence of births

04 30.08.08 Shutter Two Chambers Cave (seen 01

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moulted) 09 30.08.08 Aztec Seal Hole (seen moulted) 0210 03.09.08 Aztec Seal Hole (seen moulted) 0318 09.09.08 Ladies Beach (seen moulted) 0411 11.09.08 Aztec Seal Hole (seen moulted) 0505 12.09.08 Jenny’s Seal Hole (seen moulted) 0619 12.09.08 Ladies Beach Cave (seen moulted) 0713 12.09.08 NW Seal Hole 0802 13.09.08 Seal’s Hole 0903 14.09.08 White Granite Cave (seen moulted) 1006 15.09.08 Jenny’s Seal Hole 1107 16.09.08 Jenny’s Seal Hole 1212 17.09.08 Aztec Seal Hole 1314 18.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach 1424 18.09.08 NW Seal Hole 1526 18.09.08 Montagu’s Steps Coves (seen moulted) 1620 N/A Seal’s Hole 1621 N/A Seal’s Hole 1722 N/A Seal’s Hole 1823 N/A Seal’s Hole 1927 20.09.08 Montagu’s Steps Coves 2015 21.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 2116 22.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 2228 22.09.08 Three Quarter Wall Bay 2308 23.09.08 Aztec Roofless Cave 2417 24.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 2530 24.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach (dead in sea) 2625 25.09.08 Tibbett’s South: North Cave 2929 28.0908 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 3031 05.10.08 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 3132 09.10.08 Tibbett’s North: North Cave 3233 09.10.08 Seal’s Hole 3334 11.11.08 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 3435 03.12.08 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 3536 12.08 Puffin Gully Cave (?): dead in cave

waters36

37 23.01.09 Quarry Beach (seen moulted) 3738 25.01.09 Halfway Bay Beach (seen moulted) 38

Table 2: Lundy sea cave sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 2009.

Date Location30.08.08 Shutter Two Chambers Cave30.08.08 Aztec Seal Hole03.09.08 Aztec Seal Hole11.09.08 Aztec Seal Hole

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12.09.08 Jenny’s Seal Hole12.09.08 NW Seal Hole12.09.08 Ladies Beach Cave13.09.08 Seal’s Hole14.09.08 White Granite Cave15.09.08 Jenny’s Seal Hole16.09.08 Jenny’s Seal Hole

09.08 Seal’s Hole09.08 Seal’s Hole09.08 Seal’s Hole09.08 Seal’s Hole

17.09.08 Aztec Seal Hole18.09.08 NW Seal Hole22.09.08 Rattles Double Entrance Cave23.09.08 Aztec Roofless Cave25.09.08 Tibbett’s South: North Cave09.10.08 Tibbett’s North: North Cave09.10.08 Seal’s Hole

12.08 Puffin Gully Cave (?): dead in cave waters

Table 3: Lundy beach sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 2009

Date Location09.09.08 Ladies Beach18.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach18.09.08 Montagu’s Steps Coves20.09.09 Montagu’s Steps Cove21.0908 Halfway Bay Beach22.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach22.09.08 Three Quarter Wall Bay 24.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach24.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach (dead in sea)28.09.08 Halfway Bay Beach05.10.08 Halfway Bay Beach11.11.08 Halfway Bay Beach 03.12.08 Halfway Bay Beach 23.01.09 Quarry Beach25.01.09 Halfway Bay Beach

Table 4: Lundy sites where pups were born to 29 September 2009Ref No.

Date of

birth

Location

01 02.09.09

Jenny’s Seal Hole

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02 02.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

03 06.09.09

Seal’s Hole

04 07.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

05 08.09.09

Seal’s Hole

06 10.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

07 12.09.09

Virgin’s Spring Cleft

08 13.09.09

Halfway Wall Bay

09 17.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

10 17.09.09

Seal’s Hole

11 18.09.09

NW Seal Hole

12 18.09.09

Shutter Two Chamber Cave

13 19.09.09

Seal’s Hole

14 20.09.09

NW Seal Hole

15 21.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

16 N/A Jenny’s Seal Hole (dead)17 22.09.

09Wreck Cove

18 23.09.09

Halfway Wall Bay

19 24.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

20 25.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

21 25.09.09

Devil’s Kitchen

22 26.09.09

Jenny’s Seal Hole

23 27.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

Table 5: Lundy sea cave sites where pups were born in September 2009No. Date Location

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of birth

01 02.09.09

Jenny’s Seal Hole

02 06.09.09

Seal’s Hole

03 07.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

04 08.09.09

Seal’s Hole

05 12.09.09

Virgin’s Spring Cleft

06 17.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

07 17.09.09

Seal’s Hole

08 18.09.09

NW Seal Hole

09 18.09.09

Shutter Two Chamber Cave

10 19.09.09

Seal’s Hole

11 20.09.09

NW Seal Hole

12 21.09.09

Aztec Seal Hole

13 N/A Jenny’s Seal Hole (dead)14 25.09.

09Aztec Seal Hole

15 26.09.09

Jenny’s Seal Hole

Table 6: Lundy beach sites where pups were born, August 2008 – June 2009No.

Date Location

01 02.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

02 10.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

03 13.09.09

Halfway Wall Bay

04 22.09.09

Wreck Cove

05 23.09.09

Halfway Wall Bay

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06 24.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

07 25.09.09

Devil’s Kitchen

08 27.09.09

Montagu’s Steps

4.3 MoultingThe moult was assumed to be taking place when large quantities of seal hair were found on substrates used by seals.

During this survey, that occurred during the period December to March for Puffin’s Gully Cave and Seal’s Hole and was apparent in April for Aztec Seal Hole. As elsewhere, moulting assemblies consisted largely of one sex (female) at Puffin’s Gully Cave and Seal’s Hole, but there was a mixed assembly at Aztec Seal Hole.

4.4 Abundance and DistributionEfforts to visit the west coast seal sites during this survey period were frustrated on 9 of the 12 monthly visits to Lundy. Consequently, the degree to which they distort perception of numbers of seals using the island sites remains unknown.

However, the three visits to these sites (Jenny’s Seal Hole and Aztec Seal Hole) suggested that they are used through the year. Furthermore, a count of 47 seals in Aztec Seal Hole on 19 April 2009 was the largest single count of seals using any site, in sea caves, on beaches or skerries, through the entire year.

Both caves have storm beaches and tunnels off the main fairway, making it likely that seals would continue to use the caves when moderate of even heavy seas are running. This opinion was enhanced by the cries of seals emanating from these caves when they were inaccessible for survey work. The cries could be heard from the cliffs above.

These caves also served as important seal nursery sites and the ones where the first pups were born in the 2008 season.

Another west coast site, NW Seal Hole, was surveyed during 6 of the 12 visits and appears to be lightly used through the year, with never more than 3 adult seals present.

The beach at Montagu’s Steps, near to the SW point of the island, was monitored on every visit because it is accessible from the land. It appeared to be used by seals only during the season of pup production, but this perception was influences by the heavy preponderance of SW or NW winds during survey work.

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Finally, seals were never observed ashore on Shutter’s Point Rock during survey work. However, records in the seal log, kept in the Marisco Tavern, indicate that it is used occasionally, when sea conditions are calm, possibly by relatively large assemblies of seals.

The inaccessibility of the west coast sea cave sites would have remained so whether or not the research effort had been supported by a boat, because the weight of wave action on to their boulder beaches made safe landing impossible. However, it should additionally be recorded that the two most important west coast sea cave sites (described above) are located and orientated in such a way that, at low tide, they are subject to among the least violent wave action along the west coast.

For the remainder of the island, the main haul-out sites, as well as the most regularly used, were Puffin Gully Cave, the skerries between NE Point and Gannet’s Rock, Gannet’s Bay, Mousehole and Trap, Inner Knoll, Three Quarter Wall Bay and Seal’s Hole.

The highest count for the most easily surveyed area, the east coast – taken as a whole – was 99, made in October 2008. This coast was accessible for survey work on every visit to the island.

The highest count made for the north coast as a whole was 82 in August 2009, although access to Puffin’s Gully Cave was impossible during 3 of the 12 months of the survey.

The highest count made for the south coast as a whole was 14 in May 2009, although access to Seal’s Hole was impossible in 4 of the 12 months of the survey.

The factors that determine the number of seals ashore (other than the number of seals present in the locality) are dominated by varying wind direction, wind speed and sea conditions. Essentially, once ashore it is evident that seals wish to avoid wave action, especially when first ashore and during the half-hour period when they may be settling and their pelages are drying. Overwhelmingly, seals used lee shore (and sea cave) sites whenever the wind reached Beaufort force 4 or above. Sea caves offered refuge in what appeared to be sub-optimal conditions because of the presence of storm beaches at the back of the caves.

One main feature of verified seal abundance and distribution over the yearlong survey period was that seal numbers appeared to vary little through the year. This applies to the north, east and south coast sites, to which access was achieved through the year.

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The other main feature is that through the year, numbers of females always exceeded those of males, often considerably.

5. DiscussionThe principal outcome of this survey is that it failed in its brief to report on the abundance and distribution of seals through the year, although the period of pup production and perception of the number of pups born is likely to be accurate.

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The failure was caused by sea conditions. For 9 of the 13 visits, moderate seas were breaking on to the west coast sea cave boulder beaches so that even with boat support, on the great majority of occasions, landfall could not be achieved.

In seal survey work, there are ‘easy’ years, when conditions are benign, and ‘difficult’ years. 2008-2009 provided conditions that were at the most difficult end of the spectrum. Fresh southwesterly winds predominated throughout, with access to the west coast caves requiring northeasterly winds that rarely arrived.

The conclusion has to be that any future survey work be Lundy-based, so that greatest advantage can be taken of ‘windows’ in periods of adverse weather (see 8. Recommendations: Management Plan below). Even then, there will inevitably be ‘holes’ in the data collection, because anecdotal reports said that sea conditions on the west coast had been continuously adverse since my previous visit.

This means that the results are partial, as must be their analysis and discussion. This far, impressions have been achieved.

5.1 Pup productionThe use of sea caves rather than islands or remote, cliff-backed beaches for pup production at the onset of the season is similar to the pattern found in Cornwall, especially in the relatively nearby Boscastle locality (Westcott 2007) and in North Wales (Westcott 2002; Westcott & Stringell 2003). Similarly, nearly all remote beach sites are inaccessible from the land.

No sea cave nursery site contained more than 5 unweaned pups. As elsewhere, e.g. Cornwall, North Wales, sea cave use is always relatively light compared with beach sites. This is likely to be because female seal behaviour at these sites can be aggressive and stressful, to the extent that other mothers and pups may abandon the site, swimming along the coast to another site. The same behaviour may occur in response to heavy sea conditions on to the cave site.

However, during this survey, two of the three main sites (Halfway Wall Bay and Montagu’s Steps) were beach sites with small areas available to pups at high water. The two west coast sea cave sites, Aztec Seal Hole and Jenny’s Seal Hole, are also important nursery sites. The period during which they were used was comparable with that for island sites in the Isles of Scilly (Westcott & Rappel 2005).

As elsewhere (for example Cornwall), the main season of pup production ran from late August to mid-October, with a tiny number of ‘early’ or ‘late’ pups being born – on this occasion - in December & January.

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An attempt to examine a second season of pup production found 28 pups born to 29 September 2008 compared with 23 in 2009.

5.2 Pup mortalityAs elsewhere in SW England, pup mortality prior to weaning was extremely low, apparently due to sites being largely protected against extreme wave action. Consequently, sites were safe enough to be used through the entire period of lactation, with low threat to the mother-pup bond.

5.3 MoultingAs elsewhere, there were sometimes large assemblies of seals during the moulting period (December to April) using sea caves, especially Puffin’s Gully Cave, Seal’s Hole and Aztec Seal Hole (although only two visits were made to this site during that period. During the first visit, it was used almost exclusively by females. On the second visit, there was an atypical mixture of female and male seals, an event so unusual as to suggest this may, in fact, have been a post-moulting assembly, despite the presence of large quantities of seal hair on boulders above the high water mark.

The moult period was similar to that described elsewhere (Cornwall, North Wales) but was atypical in that a mixed moulting assembly was found at one sea cave site (Aztec Seal Hole). Therefore, there may be unreliability in this sighting. Although large quantities of seal hair were present on the boulder beach, this may have been a post-moulting assembly.

5.4 Abundance & distributionThis is the part of the report that is most flawed due to the inability to visit the west coast sites on sufficient occasions. However, it is evident from site visits as well as hearing seals calling from sea caves, that 4 sea caves are used the year round. On the west coast: Jenny’s Seal Hole and – apparently more used by the seals – Aztec Seal Hole. On the north coast: Puffin Gully Cave and on the south coast: Seal’s Hole.

When the (predominant) wind is blowing from the SW, the main seal haul out sites through the year are found between Knoll Pins and the NE Point, with the major assemblies occurring usually in Gannet’s Bay and points just to the north and south of the bay.

Less commonly, seals assemble in largest numbers on rocks at the north end in the vicinity of Puffin Gully Cave.

Least commonly, Aztec Seal Hole was confirmed as the main west coast site.

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In effect, all observations confirmed that seals seek lee shores when the wind blows at force 4 or more – to the point when there is surf action on to sites where they are resting. This is precisely in accord with all observations made during North Wales and SW England seal surveys mentioned above.

6. AcknowledgementsI am most grateful to Roger Fursdon for his illuminating insights regarding Lundy at sea level, for his occasional companionship and

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most especially the information he gave me regarding the use seals make of Virgin Springs Seal Hole.

I am grateful for the hospitality offered by the warden, Nicola Saunders and her team, for the use of the caravan through the year and for boat support on my first and last visits.

7. ReferencesBaillie, C.C. and Clark, N.A. 1974. Brief visits to the sea-level caves on the east side of Lundy. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 25, pp.59-62.

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Bonner, W.N. 1989. The Natural History of Seals. Christopher Helm. 196pp.

Caudron, A.K., Joiris, C.R. and Ruwet, J.C. 2001. Budget d’activité comparitif dans les colonies de reproduction du phoque gris Halichoerus grypus. Importances des populations marginales. Mammalia, Tome 65, 3, pp.373-382.

Chanter, J.R. 1877. Lundy Island. 248pp. Langmans, Green and Co., London.

Chilvers, R., Colebourne, M., Grant, B., Oliver, R. and Lea, S. 1999. Vigilance in Grey Seals as a Function of Time Since Haul Out. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 50, pp.41-48.

Clark, N.A. and Baillie, C.C. 1973. Observations on the Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) populations of Lundy. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 24, pp.41-42.

Clark, N.A. 1977. The composition and behaviour of the grey seal colony of Lundy. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 28, pp.32-38.

Duck, C. 1995b. Seals pp.146-148, in: Coasts and Seas of the United Kingdom (Coastal Directory Series). Region 11 The Western Approaches: Falmouth Bay to Kenfig. Eds. Barne et al., Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough.

Hiby, A.R. & Lovell, P. 1990. Computer-aided matching of natural markings: A prototype system for grey seals. Report to the International Whaling Commission (Special Issue 12): 57-61.

Hiby, A.R. 1997. Abundance estimates for grey seals in summer based on photo-identification data. Sea Mammal Research Unit (NERC) Report to the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). Contract MF0707: 17pp.

Hook, O. 1963-64. Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) at Lundy. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 16, pp.24-25.

Johnson, A.L. 1956. Seal Migration. Nature in Wales, vol.2, no.2, summer 1956: 267-270.

Johnson, A.L. 1957. Seal Marking in 1956. Nature in Wales, vol.3, no.1, spring 1957: 377-381.

Johnson, A.L. 1959. Seal Marking, 1958. Nature in Wales, vol.5, no.1, spring 1959: 717-724.

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Johnson, A.L. 1961. Seal Ringing in West Wales during 1960. Nature in Wales, vol.7, no.3, autumn 1961: 83-84.

Johnson, A.L. 1962. Seal Ringing in West Wales during 1961. Nature in Wales, vol.8, no.2, winter 1962: 53-55.

Johnson, A.L. 1968. Grey Seal Behaviour. Nature in Wales, vol.11, no.1, March 1968: 12-14.

Johnson, A.L. 1972. Seal Markings. Nature in Wales, vol.13, no.2, September 1972: 66-80.

Kiely, O., Lidgard, D., McKibben, M., Connolly, N. & Baines, M. (2000). Grey Seals: Status and Monitoring in the Irish and Celtic Seas. Maritime Ireland/Wales INTERREG Report No.3. Coastal Resources Centre, National University of Ireland, Cork. 76pp.

Lockley, R.M. 1958. Seal marking, 1957. Nature in Wales, vol.4, no.1, spring 1958: 537-543.

Loyd, L.R.W. 1925. Lundy; its history and natural history. London.

Mills, M.T. 1968. The Caves of Lundy. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 19, pp.10-30.

Prime, J.H. 1985. The Current Status of the Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus in Cornwall, England. Biol. Conserv. 33: 81-87.

Sea Mammal Research Unit. 1994. Estimating grey seal numbers using photo-identification. Report of the Sea Mammal Research Unit, Natural Environment Research Council: 28-29.

Smub.st-and.ac.uk/CurrentResearch.htm/SCOS2007/SCOS_2007_FINAL_ADVICE_1.pdf

Steven, G.A. 1936. Seals (Halichoerus grypus) of Cornwall Coasts. J. Mar. Biol. Assn. U.K. 15: 493-506.

Summers, C.F. 1974. The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Biol. Conserv. 6: 285-291.

Westcott, S.M. 2002. The distribution of Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) and census of pup production in North Wales, 2001. CCW Contract Science Report No.499: 140pp.

Westcott, S.M. & Stringell, T.B. 2003. Grey seal pup production for North Wales, 2002. Bangor, CCW Marine Monitoring Report No: 13. 80pp.

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Westcott, S.M. & Stringell, T.S. 2004. Grey seal distribution and abundance in North Wales, 2002-2003. Bangor, CCW Marine Monitoring Report No.13: 80pp.

Westcott, S.M & Rappel, I. 2005. Isles of Scilly Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) breeding season: sites used for pup production, timing and number of pups born, the identity of adults present and observations of disturbance, 15 August to 26 September, 2005. Report to Natural England (Truro) & Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust. Westcott, S.M. 2007. A baseline study of year-round grey seal use of Boscastle coast sites on the north coast of Cornwall. Report to Natural England. 36pp.

Westcott, S.M. 2008. Procedural guidelines for studying grey seals in southwest England, 2006. Natural England Research Report NERR017. 100pp.

Willcox, N. 1986. A review of Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) pupping on Lundy, and some new observations. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 37, pp.32-34.

Willcox, N. 1987. Grey Seal Pupping on Lundy in 1987. Annual Report of the Lundy Field Society, 38, p.47.

8. Recommendations: Management Plan(see also Methods, 2.6)

This management plan is intended to protect the seals using Lundy and the waters of the Marine Nature Reserve at favourable conservation status.

If the management plan is to be successful, knowledge of the status of the seals and any pressures bearing upon them must be kept up to date. Trends and any new pressures need to be recognised.

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Managers are then in a position to exercise judgement and make informed decisions. The effort required to provide this data need be costly neither in time nor, if conducted under the auspices of the Warden, need it add to the current financial burden.

Recommendations1. Research into Lundy seals should be conducted from Lundy2. Twice every month, make a count of seals using Lundy sites (both ashore and in the sea).3. Carry out a pup production census every 5 years.4. Monitor (and respond to) seal-human interactions. 5. How to capture injured, sick or moribund seals, or seals entangled in nets.6. Prevent disturbance of seals from boat-based approaches7. Anticipate and address imminent or potential seal impacts

Elaboration of recommendations1. Research into Lundy seals should be conducted from LundyResearch into grey seals using the sites, and especially the sea caves, of SW Britain has historically been (Prime, 1985) and will always be easily disrupted by surf action on to these sites, in turn generated primarily by wind direction and speed.

The timing of the ferry and helicopter services to Lundy inhibited the possibility of taking advantage of the best sea conditions during this survey, especially on the west coast. With the research effort based on Lundy, use could be made of the best available sea conditions.

2. Twice every month, make a count of seals using Lundy sites.This must be a boat-based survey. Accurate counts cannot be made from the cliff tops. One circumnavigation of the Island should be made within 90 minutes of low water on a spring tide (ideally), counting seals using beaches, skerries and the adjacent waters. Cave counts should be made, where sea conditions permit, at Tibbett’s, Puffin Gully. Virgin Springs, NW Seal Hole, Aztec, Jenny’s and Seal’s Hole. The entire circumnavigation should not take more than three hours.

At all sites, counts should differentiate between males, females, yearlings, pups and ‘unidentified’. Although no harbour seal was seen during this survey, remain alert to the possibility that they may be present (although probably not in a sea cave).

Because there are some accomplished kayakers on the Island, if trained, they could contribute to this effort and thereby reduce the

36

carbon footprint, fuel costs and the amount of boat time needed. However, such ‘auxiliary’ assistants should be discouraged from entering sea caves. Also, be aware that kayakers need to remain farther from seal haul-out sites than powered vessels because they are much more likely to cause disturbance to the seals.

All results should be entered into a site-based database on the day of the survey.

3. Carry out a pup production census every 5 years.Between July and December, known seal nursery sites should be visited at intervals of not more than two weeks. In the remaining months, pups may be discovered upon occasion: expect the unexpected.

Visits at high water will ensure that the search for pups will take least time, although disturbance of adults is certain to occur, while pups submerged in the water may avoid detection. Visits at low water will add much more time to survey work, may result in some pups being missed but may cause less disturbance than during high water visits. Surveyors are more likely to secure ID images during low water visits.

Ideally, visit beach sites at high water. Visit cave sites at low water.

The number of pups present should be recorded and, if circumstances permit, ID images of any adult seals present should be captured and entered into the island seal photo-database and shared with any national or regional scheme.

4. Monitor seal-human interactions Managers will need to decide whether there is sufficient protection for sites used by grey seals on Lundy, in the context of leisure and commercial activities at or adjacent to those sites? This will inform decisions regarding any advice to be given to divers, kayakers, boat users and any other people who might come into contact with seals.

Kayakers, in particular, cause more disturbance to seals at a greater distance not only than boats but also jet skis. Although this may appear counter-intuitive, seals associate people with noise and have become – to some extent – habituated to noisy people on the sea. They have not yet become habituated to quiet people on the sea.

Anecdotal accounts suggest some seals are interacting with ever-greater confidence with divers. To date, very few accounts exist that describe seals attacking people, but it should be clearly understood by all that a seal moving at speed, in collision with a human, can cause severe damage, for example, to a ribcage, which

37

can result in the lungs being punctured. Divers need to be cautioned with regard to their interactions with seals.

Anecdotal reports have been made of divers placing a hand in the mouth of a seal. They should be advised not to touch seals

Coasteering may grow in popularity. If so, currently remote and almost undisturbed sites where the seals haul-out will become accessible. How can the seal sites be protected?

Visiting boats anchoring in Lundy waters should be made aware of sensitive sites and asked to respect their privacy.

5. Capturing injured, sick, moribund or entangled seals.Should a seal be ‘rescued’ when found in distress, or should ‘Nature’ be allowed to take its course?

A coastal manager would have to construct an ethical viewpoint on the issue.

So-called seal ‘sanctuaries’ do exist to receive seals (nearly always seals in the first year of life). Ethical issues about how seals are treated while in such places include:

o Under what conditions are seals kept?o Is it appropriate to put captive seals on show to the public,

especially when people are permitted to walk their dogs close to where the seals are confined, thereby making possible the aerosol exchange of infection.

o Do seals become habituated to people while on display?o What is the fate of seals post-release?o Insist that the seal be released at the point where it was

found.

Generally, adult seals are difficult to capture. Although they appear rotund – plump – even yearling seals are muscular and strong.

Although luck (being in the right place at the right time with the right team and the appropriate equipment) will play the major part in any potential capture, the ideal scenario would see the netted seal hauled out along the high water mark of a beach.

Ideally, a rescue team of 4 is recommended, including someone used to handling animals – the shepherd?

The idea would be to entrap the seal in a heavy, small mesh net, the perimeter of which should be as heavy as can be contrived. The dimensions of the entrance perimeter of the net should be 12’ x 5’. The mesh should be about two inches. There should be two people on either wing of the net entrance, holding it by means of ‘handles’

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that can be gripped easily during the probably confused and stressful period of capture.

The likelihood is that any capture will be untidy. Always, the seal should be approached with stealth. If natural cover does not exist, then the ‘rescue team’ should aim to approach from the edge of the sea, moving fast in order to win the initiative.

Beware the bite of the seal, as they have bacterial flora around their teeth dangerous to humans. In the event of a bite, doxycyclin must be administered.

Be aware of the approximate position of the carotid artery of the seal.

During capture, entangle the seal. Subdue the seal by sitting astride it, knees positioned just behind the fore flippers. The (netted) head of the seal should be pinioned to the ground by the strongest member of the team. He should wear bite-proof gauntlets. Mindful of the position of the carotid artery, the netting can then be cut away.

Inevitably, the seal will respond violently, bucking, snarling, snapping and shaking its head. The best way of dealing with this is to strike swift and true with the knife – be cruel to be kind, otherwise the event will become protracted and even more stressful for the seal.

When adult seals fight, they are capable of tearing cooking apple sized chunks of blubber out of one another. The small wound administered during liberation efforts should be seen in that context.

A very sharp knife should be used to cut through the netting – which is generally monofilament plastic, but may be heavier. The extreme sharpness of the knife is critical. SMRU use a Stanley knife (Callan Duck, pers.comm., 2009)

6. Disturbance of seals from boat-based approachesOver the past decade, there has been the development of ‘swims with seals’ operations. Of the concerns outlined in this section, these offer potentially the least cause for concern – so long as the seals with which the people swim are in the sea at the outset. However, covert surveillance of such schemes (necessary because people behave differently when knowing themselves observed) has shown that seals are sometimes initially scared into the sea, as in the Isles of Scilly (Westcott, 2005). To date, it remains to be tested whether the actions leading to the disturbance events are deliberate

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or simply the behaviour of people lacking sensibility. The latter is manageable.

There has been the development and growth of eco-tourism ventures in the region, especially maritime eco-tourism, where people are taken on boat trips to see the seals. Such ventures are often advertised as trips to ‘Seal Island’.

Until the turn of the century, trips were made mainly in converted fishing boats and traditionally built single-hulled motor cruisers. However, in recent times there has been a rapid development of marine eco-tourism enterprises using high performance rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIB’s), usually using pairs of outboard motors. The current stage of the evolution has seen the proliferation of jet boats – in effect, highly seaworthy vessels, based on the RIB design but larger and with a substantial cabin, especially in the Isles of Scilly. RIB’s and jet boats are eminently seaworthy, high performance boats capable of making closest approach to sites where seals are assembled. In recent times, that capacity has been greatly enhanced by Geographical Positioning System-based navigational aids. The effect of their use has been to remove another layer of the protection that remoteness once conferred upon sites used by seals.

Hitherto, these boats have not entered caves on Lundy used by seals, although it should be noted that similar boats have entered seal caves on the coast of southwest Wales. However, no cave on Lundy is currently accessible to such an approach.

The principal dilemma facing the seals when being visited by people with what is simply a healthy curiosity and even a fondness for them is that their haul-out sites, even sometimes their nursery sites, are well known, having apparently changed little over the centuries.

They form one of that small community of what are currently being described as ‘charismatic’ marine animals (cetaceans, sharks, turtles, sunfish and grey seals) that people hope to see when taking a wildlife cruise off the southwest coasts. Communications being what they are (and there is a sightings scheme called Seaquest Southwest run by the region’s wildlife trusts that is accessible on the web) cetaceans, sharks, turtles and sunfish may become easier to locate but they remain mobile.

Uniquely among these animals, the seals come to land. Consequently, they are animals most vulnerable to disturbance by activity around the sites they use (as well as by people trying to study or rescue them). Indeed, it has been shown that they can be subject to daily disturbance at such sites in the summer months. This leads to behavioural change as well as causing them to enter

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the sea sooner than would have been the case, had they been left undisturbed (Westcott, 2000; Westcott & Stringell, 2005).

Therefore, seal sites are infinitely more susceptible to chronic disturbance than are ‘sites’ used by those species that do not come to land.

The ‘tripwire’ momentThe most important aspect of this code is that everyone must recognise the ‘tripwire’ moment, the point at which a relaxed seal becomes so alert in response to an approach by people that it is likely to enter the sea if the approach continues.

Even while resting, seals occasionally or often stir to scan the area about them. At the same time, if undisturbed, they may scratch, stretch or shift their position in order to get a little more comfortable.

However, once the seal lifts its head and stares at you and clearly changes both posture and demeanour, approach no closer. This is the tripwire moment.

Whether you come to a standstill or begin a slow retreat, the seal will now have come to a new level of general alertness. Even if it goes back to sleep, it will continue to watch wherever you may be for a period of at least 30 minutes – more, if you remain visible.

7. Imminent or potential impactso Global warming and its effect, including sea temperature rise

and its effects on water movement patterns, fish stock types and relative abundance as well, conceivably, on sites currently important to grey seals.

o Hitherto, grey seals have been little affected by the phocine distemper epizootics of 1988 and 2002 that caused the death of tens of thousands of common seals (Phoca vitulina), mainly on the shores of the North Sea Basin. However, the trend in the transfer and rapid development of epizootics in mammals indicates that, when observations of seals are being made, note should be made of signs of illness, such as discharges from the various orifices or of swellings apparent along the profiles of the pelage. In the event of another epizootic, maintain contact with and be advised by Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

8. Managing impacts and potential impactsTo this outsider, it is evident that seals are already well protected against close approach on Lundy. Furthermore, the culture of the

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visitors appears to be to cherish the Island and all that lives there. Therefore, to a large extent, management appears to be a matter of pushing against an open door.

Where necessary, the code of practise is a tool that has been applied to situations where impacts resulting from human access or proximity need to be reduced. However, these have tended to be voluntary in nature. Furthermore, even were they not voluntary, there has been virtually no means of properly monitoring and enforcing the codes.

It seems inevitable that many of the intrusive and disturbing impacts current and developing must be managed in the best interest of sites, species and the general atmosphere of the edge of the world places that people are, in effect, buying (or escaping) into.

It seems likely that licensing of the various activities that may cause disturbance will be required. This offers coastal manager a tool whereby control can be exerted – mainly with the lightest touch, but with rigour if necessary. Under such a regime, it is appropriate to impose pre- or re-licensing requirements designed to inform people about the sites and species they might meet and advising on how best to behave when near them. For example, they would be required to attend courses that inform the boat operator about the species involved and about how best to approach them, carrying what variety of tools (for example, good optics, species and site information materials etc.) on board to maximise the quality of experience for the passengers.

The WiSe scheme (www.wisescheme.org) currently delivers just such a course, nationwide, although there are currently no specific licensing requirements pressuring operators to attend and, at this time (2006) there has been no assessment made of whether operators are implementing what they learned.

TV/media and sealsPeople such as TV crews who wish to approach close to seals should be subject to scrutiny when working with seals. Personal experience as well as the experience of watching, for example, Autumnwatch on the BBC in 2008, shows that it is more important to get good footage than to avoid disturbance. Therefore, as at Skomer, permission to film seals should be sought from the Island warden or manager before taking place. Behavioural, especially time on site, requirements should be placed on such teams.

Seal ResearchOn site work, especially at nursery sites, should only be undertaken by trained teams and must not be undertaken except with a permit from Natural England.

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There is great potential for remote monitoring of seals by volunteers, especially with regard to photo-id, abundance & distribution monitoring and disturbance, as well as in highlighting any novel developments, such as the visible signs of ill health or unusual wounds.

Sharing the seals with the publicThere is the possibility of a standing exhibition on the way seals use the shores and waters of Lundy.

It would consist of images and text or moving images with a commentary, giving insights into their life through the turning of the year

It would give insights into their travels to visit their neighbours, based on photo-identification.

They could be inter-active: question and answer options sessions or perhaps a computer game could teach people the correct way of approaching seals along with the point at which they should stop.

The keynote is that they should be as local as possible, although the identity of sites should be protected, as far as that is possible (this is a dilemma requiring some discussion: do we name sites and serve as the pied piper, leading a new trail of people there, or do we describe sites without naming them?).

In describing pressures that bear upon them, and our efforts to mitigate them, the fisheries with which seals come into conflict should be described. The point of view of fishermen should be represented fairly.

Contact detailsLundy Warden: Nicola Saunders, Landmark Trust, Lundy, Bristol Channel, North Devon. EX39 2LY Tel. 01237.431.831. E-mail: warden@lundyisland.co.uk

Sea Mammal Research Unit, Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St.Andrews, Fife, Scotland. KY16 LB Tel. 01334.462630.http://smub.st-andrews.ac.uk/

Stephen Westcott: www.sharingthewild.com and stephenwestcote@yahoo.co.ukMobile tel. 07817.532.393.

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