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Moulting phenology of the harbour seal in south-west Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

M. Cronin ,
S. Gregory  and
E. Rogan
M. Cronin
Affiliation:
Coastal and Marine Research Centre, University College Cork, Naval Base, Haulbowline, Cobh, County Cork, Ireland
S. Gregory*
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
E. Rogan
Affiliation:
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Field, North Mall, Cork, Ireland
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: S. Gregory, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK email: sgreg@bas.ac.uk
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Abstract

Studies on the phenology of harbour seal moult have been carried out in the Atlantic and Pacific, however there has been no research into this process in the Republic of Ireland, at the southern edge of the species range in the north-east Atlantic. Population estimates of harbour seals are derived by counts primarily during the moulting seasons. In the absence of information on the moult phenology planning the optimal timing of such surveys is impossible. Furthermore, changes in moult phenology may reflect changes in resource availability or competition, or demographic changes. The phenology of the harbour seal moult was investigated in south-west Ireland in this study. Timing of the moult differed among all cohorts, yearlings began moulting first followed by adult females and finally adult males. The number of seals hauled out was generally positively related to the proportion of seals in active moult. The timing of the moult period was different to other parts of the species' range and should be considered in determining optimal timing of future surveys for assessing populations abundance and trends in Ireland.

Keywords

harbour sealphenologymoultingpopulation estimateIreland
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 6 , September 2014 , pp. 1079 - 1086
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013 

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