Methods
Field Methods
This study was carried out on a rocky scar below Ravenscar, North Yorkshire (54°24'27.82"N, 0°29'31.45"W). This scar stretches out into the sea and acts as a wind break from prevailing winds. Most of the scar is covered by water during high tide, but during low tide a different percentage of the scar is uncovered depending on whether it is a neap (~40% uncovered) or spring tide (~90% uncovered). This survey, to determine the haul out behaviour of the Ravenscar seal colony, was carried out for 30 days during August and September 2016. August was chosen because it has been found that maximum number of seals haul out during this month and the temperature remains relatively constant (Granquist and Hauksson. 2016).
The survey was carried out each day within 10 minutes of the low tide (See Appendix A), which was closest to midday, as haul out numbers have been found to peak at midday (Granquist and Hauksson. 2016). On approach to the survey area, the number of people on the survey site at arrival (p.arrival) and the general weather were noted. The survey started from a concrete bunker which is located at the bottom of the cliff. The survey route is a loop which runs around the outskirts of the scar, this route was kept consistent every day (fig.1).
A group of seals that seem to only interact within a certain group and …show more content…
It has also been seen that Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) have a higher response to approaching pedestrians if they are less than 15m from the pedestrian (Polanen Petel. 2005). The variable p.arrival was included to determine if the people who were already on the survey site, before my arrival, had any effect on the seals, regardless on their distance from the
Field Methods
This study was carried out on a rocky scar below Ravenscar, North Yorkshire (54°24'27.82"N, 0°29'31.45"W). This scar stretches out into the sea and acts as a wind break from prevailing winds. Most of the scar is covered by water during high tide, but during low tide a different percentage of the scar is uncovered depending on whether it is a neap (~40% uncovered) or spring tide (~90% uncovered). This survey, to determine the haul out behaviour of the Ravenscar seal colony, was carried out for 30 days during August and September 2016. August was chosen because it has been found that maximum number of seals haul out during this month and the temperature remains relatively constant (Granquist and Hauksson. 2016).
The survey was carried out each day within 10 minutes of the low tide (See Appendix A), which was closest to midday, as haul out numbers have been found to peak at midday (Granquist and Hauksson. 2016). On approach to the survey area, the number of people on the survey site at arrival (p.arrival) and the general weather were noted. The survey started from a concrete bunker which is located at the bottom of the cliff. The survey route is a loop which runs around the outskirts of the scar, this route was kept consistent every day (fig.1).
A group of seals that seem to only interact within a certain group and …show more content…
It has also been seen that Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) have a higher response to approaching pedestrians if they are less than 15m from the pedestrian (Polanen Petel. 2005). The variable p.arrival was included to determine if the people who were already on the survey site, before my arrival, had any effect on the seals, regardless on their distance from the