* on 4/04/09, extreme
winds (30+ knots, gusting to 45 knots) forced the trip to be
cancelled on-site. Seal observations and
photographs were by CRESLI's Dr. A. H. Kopelman later that
morning.
** on 4/05/09, seals were flushed
from the haulout site shortly after our arrival and were kept off the
haulout site by the presence of a vessel constantly travelling back and
forth through the groups of seals in the water. The vessel
operator then wrongly decided to bring the vessel onto the sandbar just
adjacent to the haulout site. His actions could be in violation of
the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the vessels number will be
submitted to the appropriate authorities.
78
seals (52 harbor seals; 25 grey
seals, and 1 harp seal): 73 at the haulout site (53 on the rocks [35
harbor seals; 17 grey seals; and 1 juvenile harp]; 20 in the water (17 harbor and 3
grey); 5 in the water east of the haulout site (3
harbor and 2 grey)
4-5
harbor seals in the water, 0.3 miles west of the haul-out zone
SATURDAY,12/06/03
cancelled due to winter storm
SUNDAY, 12/21/03
8
harbor seals and 1 grey seal in water
SATURDAY, 01/03/04
125
harbor seals (82 on rocks, 43 in water); 2 grey seals
SATURDAY, 01/31/04
22
seals as follows: 3 harbor seals and 1 grey seal floating on
ice; 17 harbor seals and 1 grey seal in the water.
SUNDAY, 02/15/04
25
harbor seals at Camp Hero: 19 on rocks; 6 in water
SATURDAY, 04/03/04
bad
weather caused us hike over to the Camp Hero haul-out site; no seals
were seen
SATURDAY, 05/08/04
~12
seals in the water including several young harp, grey and harbor
seals
SUNDAY, 05/16/04
36
seals hauled out
2002-2003
DATE
STATUS
December 29, 2002
13
harbor seals (1 hauled out; 12 in the water)
January 12, 2003
20
seals in water (1 grey seal; 19 harbor seals)
January 25, 2003
8
harbor seals in the water
(haul out area was
covered in ice)
February 15, 2003
15
harbor seals (2 hauled out; others in water)
March 15, 2003
30
harbor seals (24 hauled out; 6 in water)
April 27, 2003
6
harbor seals (2 hauled out; 4 in water)
May 25, 2003
2
seals known to be in the area, but none were spotted today
2001-2002
DATE
STATUS
December 8, 2001
6 harbor seals sighted
January 6, 2002
70 seals sighted (35 hauled out and 35 in water)
Around 7:00 AM, 2 fin whales were sighted by CRESLI's
Artie Kopelman and Amanda Johnson, 1.5 miles offshore from overlook
on Old Montauk Highway in Montauk;
at
9:30 that morning a fin whale was sighted by Art Cooley about
1.5-2.0 miles SE of Montauk Point
January 26, 2002
9 harbor seals and 1 grey seal (all in the
water)
February 23, 2002
15-20 harbor seals
(3-5 hauled out; 12-15 in water)
19 Harbor seals (13 hauled out; 6 in the water)
and 1 grey seal (in the water).
March 24, 2002
20 seals (19 harbor seals and 1 grey seal).
April 06, 2002
2 harbor seals (in the water near the lighthouse).
High NNW winds kept seals off the rocks of the
haul-out area; we searched the area on the leeward side and around
the lighthouse instead.
April 21, 2002
5 harbor seals (swimming near the haul out zone)
May 4, 2002
no seals
For further information about Long Island's seals,
click here.
PLEASE! PLEASE! All of us involved in monitoring the seals at
Montauk would prefer that you view the seals in a supervised naturalist
led walk. If too many people continue to disturb the haul out
zone, the seals may abandon it in the future.
REMEMBER, DO NOT COME WITHIN 70 YARDS OF THE HAUL OUT ZONE WHEN
SEALS ARE HAULED OUT. Do not approach the seals from
the beach side, use the back trail instead. If you don't know
about the trail, don't go - wait and join a supervised trip led by
CRESLI, or led by the park staff (for Montauk State Park led trips
call 631-668-5000).
