Harbor Seals’ Iceberg Preferences Change With the Seasons
Alaska’s Harbor Seals Show Seasonal Iceberg Preferences
Glacier bay, Alaska – Harbor seals in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park are proving to be savvy iceberg selectors, choosing their basking spots based on the time of year, according to new research presented at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting.
The study, focusing on harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina) in Glacier Bay, found a captivating connection between the seals’ behaviour and the advancing Johns Hopkins glacier. This glacier, one of the few on Earth currently advancing, is producing fewer icebergs, impacting the seals’ habitat.
“Icebergs are found throughout the fjord in regions of fast flow, within eddies, and close to the glacier,” said lynn Kaluzienski, a researcher at the University of Alaska Southeast and lead author of the study. “We wanted to understand which of these areas seals were using and how this habitat is changing in response to advances at the glacier front and reduction in iceberg numbers.”
The researchers discovered a distinct pattern in the seals’ iceberg choices. During pupping season in June, seals favored slower-moving icebergs, likely seeking stability for mothers and their pups. However, during molting season in August, the seals shifted their preference to faster-moving icebergs located near the glacier’s plume. This plume, a mix of ocean currents and glacial runoff, brings a bounty of plankton and fish, providing an easy feast for the seals.”Our work provides a direct link between a glacier’s advance and seals’ distribution and behavior,” Kaluzienski said. “Interdisciplinary studies like this one coupled with long-term monitoring campaigns will be significant to understand how climate change will influence tidewater glacier fjord ecosystems in the future.”
this research takes on added significance as climate change threatens to dramatically alter these delicate ecosystems. A recent AI analysis of climate models predicts that many regions could warm by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) compared to preindustrial levels, potentially impacting iceberg formation and seal habitats.
while Alaska’s harbor seals face challenges from a changing environment, they are not alone in making headlines. Earlier this year, a male elephant seal in california gained attention for heroically rescuing a drowning pup. Though, in South Africa, nine seals tested positive for rabies, highlighting the diverse threats facing these marine mammals.
The seals of Glacier Bay may be facing a shrinking iceberg buffet, but their adaptability and the ongoing research into their behavior offer hope for their future in a changing world.
Alaska’s Harbor Seals Show Seasonal Iceberg Preferences
Glacier bay, Alaska - Harbor seals in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park are proving to be savvy iceberg selectors, choosing their basking spots based on the time of year, according to new research presented at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting.
The study, focusing on harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina) in Glacier Bay, found a captivating connection between the seals’ behavior and the advancing Johns Hopkins glacier. This glacier, one of the few on Earth currently advancing, is producing fewer icebergs, impacting the seals’ habitat.
“Icebergs are found throughout the fjord in regions of fast flow, within eddies, and close to the glacier,” said lynn Kaluzienski, a researcher at the University of Alaska southeast and lead author of the study. “We wanted to understand which of these areas seals were using and how this habitat is changing in response to advances at the glacier front and reduction in iceberg numbers.”
The researchers discovered a distinct pattern in the seals’ iceberg choices. During pupping season in June, seals favored slower-moving icebergs, likely seeking stability for mothers and their pups. However, during molting season in August, the seals shifted their preference to faster-moving icebergs located near the glacier’s plume. This plume, a mix of ocean currents and glacial runoff, brings a bounty of plankton and fish, providing an easy feast for the seals.
“Our work provides a direct link between a glacier’s advance and seals’ distribution and behaviour,” Kaluzienski said. “Interdisciplinary studies like this one coupled with long-term monitoring campaigns will be significant to understand how climate change will influence tidewater glacier fjord ecosystems in the future.”
This research takes on added significance as climate change threatens to dramatically alter these delicate ecosystems. A recent AI analysis of climate models predicts that many regions could warm by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) compared to preindustrial levels, potentially impacting iceberg formation and seal habitats.