Get involved

Do you live by the sea and walk your dog or go fishing, or do you simply enjoy a nice walk by the coastline? Then chances are you might come across a seal. Whether you are out to actively look for them or you casually observe an individual while out and about, we would love to hear from you!

Our team simply cannot be in more than one place at a time. There are also a lot of tasks in the lab and office and obvious funding constraints that make it impossible to collect all the data we would like to collect. This is where we need your help!

Why are sightings important?

If we want to know how the seals are using an area, then we need to know where they are in that area. Our team can only target so many sites and times, which leads to a bias of results. Our team collects photographs and genetic material linked to the specific location where they were collected. This can help us learn more about who the seals are, how many there are, where they go, and how they use the area. For photo-identification we use photographs of the head, the cheek, the flank, the abdomen and the chest.

Strandings

If you encounter a dead seal at any time, please inform us. Dead strandings are a very valuable source of genetic material for us without any impact on seals. We will then get in touch with the responsible City or County council should the carcass need removing.

HOW TO WATCH SEALS IN IRELAND

Seals are protected in Irish waters and because of this, there is a few rules to adhere to in order to minimize disturbance when watching seals. The following description is adapted from the 'Seal Watching in Special Areas of Conservation in the South-West' Guidelines by NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Service).

There is no minimum distance to watch seals from in Ireland because the distance at which signs of disturbance are observed can differ with the location, the type of boat (if you observe from a boat), presence/absence of pups and how used the seals are to humans. A general rule of thumb is to aim at a minimum distance of 100m, but to observe the seal’s behaviour and retreat further away if necessary. Keep noise, conversation, commentary or engine noise, to a minimum as this would startle individuals. Avoid any sudden movement and never use flash photography.

Watching from land

So called seal haul-outs can be seen all around the Irish coastline. These groups can be safely observed from a vantage point. Please keep your distance and use binoculars!

If approached too close, seals can get aggressive and will bite, which can transmit infections to humans. This goes for all seals, including young pups!
If approaching a pup, you might cause the mother to abandon her pup. If you see a pup on its own, do not assume it has been abandoned. Its mum is likely foraging in nearby waters and will return soon. If you are concerned, observe from a distance and seek advice (you can ask us or Seal Rescue Ireland).
Keep your dog on a leash (especially during pupping)! Dogs can cause serious disturbance to a group of seals hauling out. Seals and dogs alike can transmit diseases to the other party.

This graphic was created by Nora Giese for a German project called Kegelrobbenbingo (grey seal bingo) and kindly provided by the Seehundstation Friedrichskoog e.V. who are responsible for the website. To find out more about getting involved with them, click on the picture or click here for more info on the project.

Watching from a boat

You can also watch seals in the water and seal haul-outs from your boat.

Please adhere to the general rule of thumb mentioned above (at least 100m distance and retreat further should this be necessary).
Never approach seals directly and/or chase individuals in the water. Approach the colony you would like to observe at an angle, keep your distance and stop if required. Ideally remain downwind of the animals because even smell can agitate seals and they could show signs of disturbance.
Keep a slow and steady speed, 6 knots maximum.
Limit visits to a maximum of 15 minutes at the site.
Never land at a site where seals are hauling out.
Do not enter the water trying to swim with seals.
Do not use jet-skis, water-skis or wake-boards in the vicinity of seals.