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Seal Research Program

Gray seals “bottling” in shallow water in the west end of
Provincetown. June 2, 2024. CCS Image, NEFSC Permit #21719

Marine Mammals in a Changing Ecosystem

As inhabitants of the nearshore environment, seals are vulnerable to impacts from rapidly changing coastlines as well as from
increased interactions with humans. The Center for Coastal Studies Seal Research Program conducts population research and
seasonal haul-out monitoring to better understand and mitigate these impacts.

Understanding Entanglement in Seals
In the spring of 2024, the CCS Seal Research Program, in collaboration
with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), tested a new
drone for documenting entangled seals. The new equipment provides
increased zooming capacity, allowing it to gather more data while
flying at higher altitudes to avoid disturbing the seals as they rest on
sandbars.

Drone image of gray seal haul-out on a tidal sand bar at Billingsgate Shoals,
Wellfleet, MA. Image: Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Pro-
gram under Permit No. 24359

(Inset) Entangled gray seal. CCS Image, NEFSC Permit #21719

Collaborative Research to Study Human Impacts on Gray Seal Behavior
This year, the CCS seal program launched an exciting partnership with Callyan Lacio, a Ph.D. student at the University of New
Hampshire’s SeaBABEL Lab. Her research focuses on gray seal vocalizations and behaviors, exploring how human activities
influence these animals on Cape Cod. Using a mix of vessel-based observations, land-based recorders, and trap cameras, the study
tracks how gray seals interact with their surroundings. It also examines how they respond to changes in the soundscape and the
presence of other species like shorebirds, coyotes, and humans. The findings will offer valuable insights into the impact
of human activity on marine wildlife and local ecosystems.

Callyan Lacio and CCS volunteer Liz Bradfield
setting up acoustic receivers.

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