Welcome to ScubaBoard, an online scuba diving forum community where you can join over 185,000 divers from around the world discussing all things related to Scuba Diving. To gain full access to ScubaBoard (and make this large box go away) you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
Participate in over 500 dive topic forums and browse from over 5,500,000 posts.
Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
Post your own photos or view from well over 100,000 user submitted images.
Gain access to our free classifieds marketplace to buy, sell and trade gear, travel and services.
Use the calendar to organize your events and enroll in other members' events.
All this and much more is available to you absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact the ScubaBoard Support Team.
Dear Divers,
Having studied their u/w activity for the last 9 yrs - I have my own thoughts about their behaviour - However, I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on exactly why seals engage in activity such as this (viz isn't great due to decaying weed at specifc site)
For info this is a young female grey seal about 90kg.
Answers on a postcard please...
Thanks & safe diving,
Ben "Seal diver" YouTube - bburville's Channel
Dear Divers,
Having studied their u/w activity for the last 9 yrs - I have my own thoughts about their behaviour - However, I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on exactly why seals engage in activity such as this (viz isn't great due to decaying weed at specifc site)
For info this is a young female grey seal about 90kg.
Answers on a postcard please...
Thanks & safe diving,
Ben "Seal diver" YouTube - bburville's Channel
When you say "studied," do you mean in a scientific way or you have anectdotally observed them?
While it looks like the seal was using some sense to determine what the diver was (food?), the real question for me is why that diver was interacting that closely with a dangerous wild animal.
I realize (to the eyes of humans, often raised watching cartoons of animals who act like people) seals are cute and very human looking mammals. But they are wild and dangerous, and just because we can easily project human-like emotions on them, that does not make them less dangerous.
Every year people are bitten, injured and sometimes killed by seals (statistics are woefully lacking becuse most people don't view seals as a threat --how could they be, they are so cute?!). Yet people persist is interacting with them in a dangerous manner.
Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread --so upon a second look, it appears the seal is engaging in some natural behavior to gain more information, most likely in its hunt for food.
Thanks Jeff,
Your comments are welcomed and interesting.
I studied marine biology (dissertation in echolocation in bottlenose dolphins) at Southampton Uni so approach the matter with a scientific interest. My observations of underwater grey seal behaviour off the NE coast of Britain have challlenged various scientific "facts" (eg that grey seal mothers abandon their pups once weaned) and has provided an insight into these creatures that few people have had the opportunity to gain.
Firstly the seal approached me. This is key here. Whenever I am near seals underwater they are 100% in control of the situation. Their ability to move in 3 dimensions leaves me far behind.
I must correct you on your assumption that grey seals are "dangerous" - certain species could be classed as more likely to cause danger if provoked (leopard / elephant seals).
Grey seals certainly have the potential to be dangerous (females average 154kg and males 230kg) BUT having spent literally hundreds of hours with them underwater I have only ever seen them behave in a very gentle manner.
If you respect them they are intelligent incredibly gentle creatures.
(I'd trust a wild 200kg grey seal up close far more than a stray 35kg domestic dog!)
Furthermore I can assure you that the seal is certainly not trying to work out if I am food. Grey seals eat sandeel, whiting, cod and a range of other fish / crustacea even but certainly have the intellect to determine that I am not on their menu.
Interestingly grey seals will often seek out such encounters for what appears to be establishing their position in a social hierarchy within a group. For want of a better term... whoever can "play" with the "diver" exerts their status and social position.
As if a "game" I have often watched a couple of young seals approach divers from behind out of sight and pull on the divers fins only to dart away when the unsuspecting diver turns to see what has caught his fin.
Sometimes I will simply lie on the seabed and a seal will choose to come and lie (as they often do to sleep/ rest) on the seabed beside me.
Should we ever interact with wild animals??
That really is an interesting question?
We can learn a great deal from them and occassionally I believe they seem to get something intangible from us.
If people really saw and knew how gentle and intelligent seals can be would there still be a Canadian Seal Hunt??
One thing for sure is that we should never use food or bait to facilitate any wild encounters. ( I never do this in the sea.... then again I leave nuts and bread for birds in the garden!)
"My name is Doe, John Doe..."
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away -
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Middle of England, as far from the sea as you can get in the UK.
Posts
1,211
I have followed some threads on the Californian seals and their interactions with divers.
They do seem to be fascinated by the ungainly humans who blunder through their environment.
Pulling on loose mask & fin straps etc.
Maybe post on a link Californian section and they can join in on the discussion. Doc is a regular and has had posted on this subject as have a couple of the photographers.
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... it takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
Albert Einstein
I think interacting with sealife that is willing is okay, provided they are not a protected species. What bothers me is when people chase seals, sea lions, etc. in order to play. Whereas in the video, the touching appeared consensual and the diver seems to have done things to alleviate the stress of the seal (small movements, looking away from the creature [not staring her down], only petting as apparently permitted, and - although I don't think it is good for the diver - watching breaths).
I have had experiences where sea lions have swam up and, out of curiousity, 'kissed' me on the nose. I confess, I touched - giving a little rub just under the 'chin'. It is sweet interactions like that and this which remind me why I began diving.
This being said - I generally will not pick up sea life, harass it, etc. I don't generally believe in touching, especially when the organism does not have the capacity to move away or is apparently scared.
Your comments are welcomed and interesting.
I studied marine biology (dissertation in echolocation in bottlenose dolphins) at Southampton Uni so approach the matter with a scientific interest. My observations of underwater grey seal behaviour off the NE coast of Britain have challlenged various scientific "facts" (eg that grey seal mothers abandon their pups once weaned) and has provided an insight into these creatures that few people have had the opportunity to gain.
...
Just curious...so how have you determined that the mother doesn't abandon their pup?
Just observing a juvenile pup with an older adult doesn't mean that it's the mother.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Can anyone explain why?
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by bburville
Seals
