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--Boundary_(ID_mq6pamYZ/h3JNN2GBZNOVg) Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT A very recent article in the Chronicle Herald said that at least some of the dead seals were HARP SEALS. All of the rest of what I have been reading has just said "SEALS" and sometimes "young seals" (as per Richard below), and one person said "white-coats", which I think is not correct, from the photos I saw on the ATV/CTV evening news over the past weekend. It looked to me like at least some (or all?) were once again yearling or "beater" harp seals. I wonder if we will ever hear more from the federal Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans about the cause of death, beyond what they have already said was from shifting ice. It should be mentioned that harp seals are very much ice-loving seals, and this year's moving ice that Tom Kavanagh and others have mentioned might well have gotten dangerous for these young-but-not-infant seals. Ian (McLaren), have you seen enough photos or actual carcasses to enter the discussion here? Others have suggested that these seals died perhaps weeks ago, and that scavenging by gulls etc. starts with the head and works posteriorly from there. Lovely subject, eh? Cheers? from Jim in Wolfville. ------------------------------- Begin forwarded message: > From: Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com> > Date: April 13, 2009 7:45:51 PM ADT > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Dead Seal > Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > There were at least 4 dead seals on Pond Cove Beach this w/e. All > were young, and headless - similar to those described on the CBC > news at Lawrencetown Beach this evening. They were providing a > treat for the local Turkey Vultures. I have no idea what killed > them., but perhaps it's a province-wide phenomenon. > > Richard > > On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 6:03 PM, Terri Crane > <terri.crane@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote: > This year the outer edge of the Ice flow was pushed out of the Gulf > and off Cape Breton earlier than usual and large volumes passed > just off our shores heading southwest. > > I'd say that the early and large out flows of ice are responsible > for this years further south than usual deposits of seal carcus'. > I'm sure most of us along the north eastern shore don't mind > sharing this early-mid spring abundance. > > In the next short while if you have a carcus on you beach don't let > it get above the tide line. You'll be sure to have you're own > smelly, oil producing, colony of decomposers that will last into > mid summer (lots of experence). Even though the water is cold it > seem to excelerate the decomp of the seals while keeping the smell > in check (relatively speaking). An off shore wind on a falling tide > can make it go away. > > Tom K. > Canso > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Terri Crane > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 4:48 PM > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Dead Seal > > Hi All. > > Last week produced a prolonged heavy North and North East wind for > a few days. > > SO I'll predict a flush spring for dead seals along our shores > again this year. Simmilar conditions last year and 3 years ago > exposed the high mortaliry during these events. The extreme motion > of broken ice and add to this the inexperience of the young seals > (the usual victim) and you've got the recipe for a mass cull. > > Tom K. > Canso > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gayle MacLean > To: naturelist > Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 8:58 AM > Subject: [NatureNS] Dead Seal > > Hi All, > > My sister reports that yesterday, Sunday, as she and her husband > were going for a stroll, they saw a dead seal (her description, > smallish, grey) right beside the Conrad's Beach parking area. It > was in the grassy area. She was surprised to see it there, being so > far from the ocean, though, she knew there are alot of salt water > pools in there too. > > Gayle MacLean > Dartmouth > > > Yahoo! Canada Toolbar : Search from anywhere on the web and > bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now! > > > > > -- > ################# > Dr.R.B.Stern, > P.O. Box 300, > Port Williams, > N.S., Canada, > B0P 1T0 > > Richard Stern, > 317 Middle Dyke Rd. > Port Williams, NS, Canada > B0P 1T0 > > sternrichard@gmail.com > ################### --Boundary_(ID_mq6pamYZ/h3JNN2GBZNOVg) Content-type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> A very recent article in the Chronicle Herald said that at least some of = the dead seals were HARP SEALS. =A0All of the rest of what I have been = reading has just said "SEALS" and sometimes "young seals" (as per = Richard below), and one person said "white-coats", which I think is not = correct, from the photos I saw on the ATV/CTV evening news over the past = weekend. =A0It looked to me like at least some (or all?) were once again = yearling or "beater" harp seals. =A0I wonder if we will ever hear more = from the federal Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans about the cause of death, = beyond what they have already said was from shifting ice. =A0It should = be mentioned that harp seals are very much ice-loving seals, and this = year's moving ice that Tom Kavanagh and others have mentioned might well = have gotten dangerous for these young-but-not-infant = seals.<div><br></div><div>Ian (McLaren), have you seen enough photos or = actual carcasses to enter the discussion = here?</div><div><br></div><div>Others have suggested that these seals = died perhaps weeks ago, and that scavenging by gulls etc. starts with = the head and works posteriorly from there. =A0Lovely subject, = eh?</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers? from Jim in = Wolfville.=A0<br><div>-------------------------------<br><div>Begin = forwarded message:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" = style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: = </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px = Helvetica">Richard Stern <<a = href=3D"mailto:sternrichard@gmail.com">sternrichard@gmail.com</a>></font><= /div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: = 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" = color=3D"#000000"