Washing Machine 2008

A common assumption that people make about seals is that the seal they see repeated in the same place is the same seal. Careful observations this weekend demonstrate that this assumption is flawed. In just a few minutes, superficial observations by casual observers would have suggested that a single seal was swimming in a small area of white water sea, known as the 'Washing Machine'. However, with the benefit of a digital camera with a big optical zoom lens, this proved to be false. There were in fact at least 4 different seals seen at the surface in just this short space of time.

Synchronised swimmers! Unidentified young adult male (Left) : DP282 Interlocking Arcs, young adult male (Right)

Three were young adult males and one was a juvenile female and only one of these was identified from our photo ID database - DP282 'Interlocking Arcs'. From the photos, 'Interlocking Arcs' has a distinctive set of white patterns on his neck that make him distinguishable. Another male has a clear white marking under his neck, whilst the third appears to have a completely plain head and neck area. The female has a much lighter head with fewer browny markings. If you are interested in getting to know individual seals and would like to take part in our photo identification work, please get in touch (email address on 'Contact Us' link on the left side of our home page.)

Unidentified adult male (Left) : Juvenile female (Right)

It is such a privilege to see seals in our seas and to get such a close up view of them, being less than 10 metres away.

Watching me, watching you! (Below)

The pleasure of a close encounter with a seal is enormous. Up close and personal, the natural curiosity of seals becomes obvious. The photos above show just how interested seals are in humans. With nostrils open (possibly to try and smell me) these seals all made eye contact with me (or rather my camera.) Seals tend to be wary of people with two eyes looking at them - this is the face of a threatening predator, but look though the single lens of a camera and we become much less threatening and more interesting. Seals faces are surprisingly capable of apparent expression and this encourages us humans to anthropomorphise! For example, the seal on the left at the front has a decidedly doleful look, whilst the seal on the right looks way more cheerful and the one in the centre looks both cautious and down right nosey! Getting familiar with the world of seals requires no particular skill on our part, merely the patience to sit for hours to look and learn!