AUSTRALIAN FUR SEALS
The Australian Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) is the largest marine predator biomass in south-eastern Australia and plays an important role in the region’s ecosystem functions. It is a protected species nationwide, though the population suffers losses due to human impacts such as entanglement, commercial fishing by-catch and propeller strikes. In Port Phillip Bay, a significant number of individuals use man-made structures to haul-out and rest in between foraging activities. Despite being highly visible and the focus of eco-tourism activities for many years, remarkably little is known of this component of the population. How many are there? Are they residents or temporary visitors? Where do they spend their time in Port Phillip Bay? Such information is urgently needed to ensure effective management of the bay’s unique environment.
The CAMERAS
The aim of this monitoring program is to gain insight into the local population and the effects they are having on the Port Phillip Bay ecosystem. We will conduct regular counts at haul-out sites in conjunction with photo identification to monitor their numbers and movements over time, both at a population and individual level. Additionally, we will investigate the impacts these seals are facing due to anthropogenic activities, through observations of entanglement, propeller strikes etc.
GET INVOLVED
The general public are encouraged to take headshot photos of seals they observe in the Bay, which they can upload to a database on our website. The seals will be identified using AI software provided through Deakin University. This citizen science contribution will be highly valuable to track individuals and their movements, and to determine the residency and transiency of these seals. The general public will be able to keep up to date with news on individual seals that they have spotted, as well as news about the entire population through subscribing to a mailing list for updates.
The data obtained from this research will aid to provide insight into the population trends and habitat use of Australian Fur Seals, in turn highlighting the importance of man-made haul-out structures for the species and its impacts on local marine resources. In addition, we will aim to highlight the impacts humans are inflicting on fur seals, and emphasise the necessity for further research to inform the proper the management of these mammals and their ecosystem
Upload your photos
Take part in Citizen Science research with the Port Phillip Bay Seal Watch program. Submit your photos of Australian Fur Seals that you have spotted in the bay, to help us better understand these beautiful animals. These images will aid us in tracking individual seals, their movements and behaviours.
Upload any images you have of the Australian Fur Seals in Port Phillip Bay and become a helping hand in this citizen science project!
