"Delta Awareness" - Seals of the Vistula Delta

SEALS of the VISTULA DELTA
Agnieszka Hylla*, Iwona Pawliczka**, Krzysztof E. Skóra**,
*WWF Poland, **Hel Marine Station, University of Gdansk
THE FOCUS
Vistula delta: the unique shelter – why seals have chosen that place?
A blend of exceptional conditions:
a great abundance of prey
in the river – sea contact point
calm area
a
variety of temporary sandbanks
Species’ status and protection: the law and obligations & reality
Can we execute all the rules?
…AT FIRST, MEET THE SEALS
Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) Ringed seal (Phoca hispida)
Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)
Each of those 3 species lives in the Baltic Sea
as genetically & regionally separated populations in different areas
The grey seal population is the most abundant one (ca. 24 000 in the whole Baltic Sea)
All of those 3 are reported from Vistula’s Delta
PROTECTION: WHY
Seals are legally protected in Poland & other Baltic countries
mainly due to extreme
populations’ loss
in the 20th century
hunting bycatch habitat loss prey intoxications
Now the Baltic populations
are slowly recovering,
being strongly supported by law, management, scientific & ecological research
Grey seal:
90 000  3-4 000  24 000*
*in 2011; the success of
protection in northern Baltic
Ringed seal:
Harbor seal:
200 000  8-9 000
5000  600
PROTECTION: HOW
The 3 seal species are threatened
according to HELCOM list of threatened
and/or declining species and are also
listed in the Annex II and V of the
EU Habitats Directive
as „animal species of community interest
whose conservation requires the
designation of special areas
of conservation”
Poland is obliged to provide
the sufficient habitat conditions
in order to bring back the natural
geographical range for Baltic grey seals
PROTECTION: PRACTICE
The cooperation of
 Hel Marine Station
of University of Gdańsk
 WWF Poland
visit website: ssakibaltyckie.wwf.pl
Poland: The activity of Hel Marine Station IOUG
(research, advise, rehabilitation & introduction, information & education)
www.fokarium.pl
• Telemetry transmitters on seals’ backs:
signals sent  analysis of moves & migrations in the Baltic area
• The Blue Patrol (Błękitny Patrol): the round-the-clock voluntary guard of marine
mammals
+48 795 536 009
IN VISTULA’s MOUTH: THE „Mewia Łacha” RESERVE
IN VISTULA’s MOUTH: THE „Mewia Łacha” RESERVE
ca. 54,35°N, 18,94°E
Vistula’s
Delta
Here in reserve, the majority of seals’ observations on the polish
coast in years 2010-2011 (58 and 80% respectively) were made
and ca. 90% of them were related to grey seals
Seals in Vistula’s delta reserve - 2010-2011
A maximum observed number per month
30
2011
25
26
MAX/ month
23
20
22
22
20
19
21
15
10
9
5
3
0
jan
sty
3
9
2010
4
feb mar
mar kwi
apr maj
may cze
jun
lut
From: WWF Seals Monitoring Report 2010-2011
jul
lip
aug wrz
sep paź
oct
sie
nov gru
dec
lis
months of year
The Waterbird Research Group
„Kuling”: active support
and education
www.kuling.org.pl/uw
Program „Chronimy NATURĘ na Wyspie Sobieszewskiej” realizowany jest dzięki partnerskiej współpracy:
Knop – one of the seals released by Hel
Marine Station and his migration route
(left)
One of the sandbanks/remote islands in reserve
28.05.2011
21.06.2011
The pup of common seal with its mother
at one of the sandbanks: the evidence of
reproduction
07.12.2011
Seals breaking the record of number: 26
individuals in Vistula’s Estuary
CAMERA REPORTS
http://89.206.11.98:50002/view/viewer_index.shtml?id=10
http://89.206.11.98:50002
an example
If sand banks in Vistula Delta disappear
Alternative natural habitats if ... ?
Some of the seals in Vistula’s Delta can bite fish out from the nets, causing a
tight corner - conflict between them and local fishery
Actually, some types of fish nets are
the main threat for seals (by-catch)
It’s essential now to collect enough data related
to both of the problems
The protection plan for seals is being worked out at the
moment
www.baltyk.mediatorzy.pl
Look
talk
understand
Research
plan
Listen
Inform
Educate
try
respect
PROTECT
Have you seen a seal or any other marine mammal –
anywhere in Poland?
Please report:
Hel Marine Station of University of Gdańsk
+48 601-88-99-40 (mobile)
+48 58 675-08-36
[email protected]
Blue Patrol WWF
+48 795 536 009
Round the clock, 24/7, all year long
Photos:
Hel Marine Station
www.hel.univ.gda.pl
WWF
www.wwf.pl
GBPW Kuling
www.kuling.org/uw
Thank you for attention
Agnieszka Hylla
[email protected]