Mission Seal Pup: Groundbreaking GPS tracking traces the home of rescued seal pups in Cornwall

The Cornish Seal Sanctuary has released its first rehabilitated seal pups of the season, Mary and Maggot, back into the wild as a ground-breaking new study gets underway.

First-ever GPS tracking for seal pups

After months of dedicated care at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Mary and Maggot are part of a new study led by Dr. Luis Huckstadt, a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter, was fitted with GPS tracking devices and returned to the sea. This pilot project, the first of its kind in the south west of England, aims to track the behavior of gray seal pups at sea and gain insight into their movement patterns, habitat use and diving behaviour.

Dr. Luis explained the significance of the study: “This project will provide the first data on marine habitat use and diving behavior of naive gray seal pups in a unique oceanographic region of SWE where gray seal population dynamics and ecology have changed. so far hardly researched. In collaboration with the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, this project provides an unprecedented opportunity to undertake public education and outreach activities, including educating the general public about the biology of gray seals, their natural history and the local seas, and highlighting the threats seals face natural environment, particularly man-made activities.”

The study will examine 15 rehabilitated juveniles to uncover changes in diving ability, foraging patterns and the potential threats they face, particularly in regions of high human activity.

Insightful technology and minimal impact on puppies

Anne van Domburg, lead animal keeper at the Sanctuary, expressed excitement about the project's potential: “After spending months here at the Sanctuary caring for the puppies during their rehabilitation, we are often left in the dark about what happens to the puppies once they will be released back into the wild.”

Currently, the sanctuary relies on sightings of flipper ID tags, but these are limited to spotted individuals. Anne shared: “This GPS tracking will give us an amazing insight into the lives of our puppies as they adjust to life in the wild.”

The GPS tags are designed to minimize impact. They are glued to the seal pups' fur and fall off naturally during the annual moult, usually between December and April. Anne notes: “The labels are hydrodynamically streamlined and not heavy, the antenna is also super flexible resulting in minimal impact on the seal.”

Research to protect the seal population

The project will also enable the reserve to better understand important habitats and potential conflicts on the Cornish coast. Using a combination of GPS data and veterinary blood and fur samples, researchers will gain insight into the puppies' diets and their mothers' eating habits. This approach could shed light on the larger patterns affecting the adult gray seal population in Cornwall.

Public unrest leads to avoidable rescue operations

Public interference has unfortunately been a major factor in the need to rescue seal pups this season. Bethan Goodridge, animal keeper at the sanctuary, shared details of the latest cases: Maggot was found on a busy beach in Porthtowan when she was just 48 hours old and was separated from her mother due to public unrest. Likewise, Mary was found malnourished in Mother Ivy's Bay after being disturbed and separated from her mother.

Bethan stressed: “We are saddened to learn that both puppies needed our help due to a disorder, which is a completely avoidable situation.”

How to help Cornwall's seal pups

The sanctuary advises the public to follow DEFRA guidelines, which include keeping a safe distance from seal pups, keeping dogs on leads and avoiding direct contact with marine animals. If you need any help or advice you can contact the Cornish Seal Sanctuary at 01326 221361and British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) is available at 01825 765546.

For more information on seal safety, visit the Cornish Seal Sanctuary website. There you can support their ongoing efforts to protect Cornwall's seal population.