Grey Seal Numbers in the Wadden Sea and on Helgoland in 2016-2017

Trilateral Seal Expert Group (TSEG)

The coordinated aerial, boat and land surveys of the Dutch, German and Danish Wadden Sea grey seal areas including Helgoland (Germany) are aimed at estimating changes in numbers of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) in the Wadden Sea area. The pups born in winter are indicative of changes in the local breeding population, while the total counts during the moulting season in spring would include animals that might have bred elsewhere and have redistributed during the post breeding period. Results of the counts do not yield an absolute or maximum number of seals, but a number that can be compared from year to year to produce trends.

Authors:

By the members of the Trilateral Seal Expert Group (TSEG):
Sophie Brasseur
Richard Czeck
Anders Galatius
Lasse Fast Jensen
Armin Jeß
Peter Körber
Ralf Pund
Ursula Siebert
Jonas Teilmann
Sascha Klöpper