755 Seals in RI Waters, According to Save the Bay Annual Count
GoLocalProv News Team
755 Seals in RI Waters, According to Save the Bay Annual Count
The count is an effort to help establish a minimum estimate of the number of seals present in Rhode Island waters. With support from the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, The Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Protection Agency staff, volunteers counted 755 seals living in Rhode Island waters.
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The seal count took place on Thursday, March 27.
“When planning the annual count, we look to schedule it on a day at the height of seal season with ideal weather,“ noted Save The Bay Volunteer and Internship Manager July Lewis. “Despite the breezy conditions, the seals were out there enjoying the sun, reflected in a well above average number for the Bay & coast, and the most we've seen yet for Block Island. Our community scientists’ efforts are pivotal as we continue our work to better understand these important and iconic animals.”
The harbor seal—the most commonly-found seal in Narragansett Bay and along the southern coast—plays an essential role in the Bay’s ecology as a top predator species. Grey seals—spotted rarely in the Bay but more frequently on Block Island—can be found in our coastal waters year-round. Earlier seal counts focused on seals in the Bay and along the coast. In recent years, with support from the Nature Conservancy in Block Island, Save The Bay has been able to get a comprehensive count for seals statewide.
“We are excited to have been able to expand the seal monitoring effort to cover the whole state,” said July Lewis. “While the harbor seal population in the Bay seems to be relatively stable, our volunteer monitoring efforts indicate an increasing number of gray seals on Block Island. This will be an interesting trend to watch in years to come.”
“I am thankful for the 19 volunteers who helped to cover all but about a quarter mile of the island’s perimeter shoreline, and more than half of the Great Salt Pond shorelines,” said Kim Gaffett, The Nature Conservancy’s Block Island naturalist. “
One way to safely observe seals in Narragansett Bay is from the deck of a Save The Bay vessel. Seal tours depart from Perrotti Park in Newport on Saturdays and Sundays through April 27, with daily tours taking place Monday through Friday during Rhode Island’s April school vacation week, April 14-18. For more information about Save The Bay’s Seal Tours, visit savebay.org/seal.