In Photos: The Seal Survey Process, by Alice Pollard

I’m excited to introduce Alice Pollard, a journalism student from the University of Stirling. With a strong passion for environmental and conservation themes she requested to join me for a photojournalism assignment.  Read on to hear her reflections on documenting a survey!

The sun is rising over the North Sea. Hundreds of grey seals lift dozy heads in the golden light, a handful slipping into the icy embrace of the River Ythan, unaware of the drone buzzing far above them. It is 8 am, and the conditions are perfect for a seal survey. I have joined PhD student Claire Stainfield for the morning, armed with a bag of lenses and a slightly rusty Nikon. The goal? To document the seal survey process, and learn about the importance of the project. What I didn’t anticipate, however, was the striking onslaught of nature from all angles at Ythan Estuary. Claire has dedicated her life to studying seals. On the frozen shores of the North Sea, she undertakes her latest project – studying visitor impacts on the resident seal population at Forvie Nature Reserve. The following images portray a morning in Claire’s world, as she undertakes a morning seal survey.

We arrived at Forvie Nature Reserve with sleep in our eyes and snow on our boots. Aberdeenshire was thick with ice and frost, crusting the edges of the untouched sand. Claire, unlike us, was alert and ready to go.

Gently, slowly, the sun broke over the horizon. The estuary was illuminated in the fresh morning light, the seals waking slowly with the sun in the distance. Their morning snorts reached our group as we perched on the top of the dunes.

Since 2010, seal numbers at Forvie have increased from a few hundred to a few thousand, sparking a surge in visitors to the area. Research on the impacts of this wildlife tourism on the seals has been previously limited; this is where Claire’s PhD project comes into effect. “If you go and approach the seals, they flush into the water, and it's a really negative thing for them. The whole idea of the thesis was to sort of understand why the seals are here and how they're using the area, but also what implications that has for the local people,” Claire explained as we warmed our hands over hot chocolate later on.

Claire sets up the survey site with a manner of routine and respect for the beach. “It's really important at this stage, because seal tourism is starting to grow and starting to be a huge industry in the local area. You've got Aberdeen harbour, which now has cruise ships. There is a huge potential for it to get really, really busy at the beach.”

“Understanding that baseline was the idea of the project, and then figuring out a management plan or a policy before it gets busy, to help manage that side of it.”

“Drone surveys are more accurate than land counts," Claire continues, "so you get a better idea of the true numbers, and you can get data like demographics from them as well. So, how old are the seals - how many adults are there? And how many juveniles are there? Because each different age class of seal and each gender uses the beach ever so slightly differently, and understanding which animals are getting disturbed or why they're here in the first place really helps with the management policy and the protection.”

“The GPS locations that you can get from the drone images really show the beach use, and if we have any implications or impacts on them."

“I quite like the one day a week coming up and seeing where they are, how many there are, what they're doing this day. I think at least every month, there's been something new or something different, or they haven't done what I've expected, or they've changed. It's just learning a little bit more about them.”

"The more time you send with them, the more you get to understand things. I've yet to get bored with doing the [surveys]."

The early winter morning that I spent on the beach with Claire painted the perfect portrait of how special the site truly is. The sunrise cast a warmth over every being, visitor and scientist alike in respect and appreciation. The seals, sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the odd dog walker. The drone, far above, gathers precious data to maintain their peaceful futures. 

Claire's research opens up a sustainable route for wildlife tourism, keeping the seals safe and undisturbed whilst allowing visitors to appreciate and understand nature in a thoughtful, well-managed approach. 

Thanks to Claire, Aberdeen's seal populations can rest peacefully alongside visitors and locals alike.