Press Releases

March 29, 1999
Seal Count Reaches 20-Year High, Says Study by Southampton College Marine Scientists

Profs. Forestell, Sadove and Students Find One of the Largest Haul-out Sites on East Coast

Contact:
Jane Finalborgo
Joe Dionisio
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

Southampton, NY -- Long Island's seal population has reached its highest total in two decades, with over 6,000 seals thriving in the regional waters, according to a new study by professors and students in the Marine and Environmental Science programs at Southampton College of Long Island University, in cooperation with CRESLI.

On March 26, during morning and evening aircraft surveillance, faculty and students observed nearly 2,000 harbor seals on haulout over Great Gull Island, just east of Plum Island.

According to Southampton College professor Sam Sadove, this finding makes Long Island one of the largest seal haul-out sites on the east coast. "Haulout" is the term used when marine mammals pull themselves out of the water to rest.

The ongoing study was funded by a $40,000 census grant from the Norwalk Aquarium to survey seals in all of Long Island Sound and Eastern Long Island. Norwalk Aquarium has extended its support through at least the year 2002.

"By observing such a significant total of seals on haulout, we can estimate their population to be more than 6,000 within Long Island waters," said Sadove, who teaches Marine Mammal Biology at Southampton College, and is a scientist with the Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island (CRESLI). "Our study of seals is not just a research project, however. Norwalk Aquarium also funded this because of our ability to support educational programs."

Sadove and fellow Southampton College professor Paul Forestell-- the principle researchers who gathered their data via aircraft, boat and on-shore walks-- have estimated seal totals by observing Long Island Sound, the eastern bays, Peconic Estuary, and waterways from Montauk to New York City.

"This study gives us a much better handle on the distribution and abundance of harbor seals and other seals in the west end of Long Island Sound," said Forestell, former director of the Pacific Whale Foundation, now a professor of Psychobiology.

Due to the dramatic numbers seen on Great Gull Island during the March 26 study, a boat survey for detailed analysis is scheduled for this weekend. Limited space is available to members of the media by calling the Public Relations office at 516-287-8313.

Students involved in the data collection include Carrie Hoover of Waynesboro, PA, and Patrick Donnelly of DeWitt, NY, both senior Marine Science Biology majors.

There are several possible explanations for the increased seal population, including laws that prohibit seal hunting, coastal waters getting cleaned up, or for reasons not yet identified.

After the College completes its research, educational materials will be developed for the magnet schools of the Norwalk Aquarium. Students there will be able to go to a web site and download information that helps them learn about survey techniques.

Southampton College professors, as well as other marine mammologists in the Northeast, have observed that seal populations are increasing. As populations grow, core ranges expand more annually, with Long Island being added to the core range more each year.

Dramatic seal population growth was also determined by a 1997 College survey, which documented a two-fold increase in seal numbers from the previous year.

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