Norway
Common Name: Hooded Seal
Scientific Name: Cystophora cristata
Fact
Hooded seals are able to dive longer and deeper than any other Atlantic seal. They store oxygen in their blood and skeletal muscles during dives, which helps to prevent diving hypoxia.
About
Overview:
Hooded seals are large, ice-breeding, migratory seals found in western and central parts of the northern North Atlantic ocean over continental shelf regions. They are named for their distinctive elastic nasal sac exhibited by adult males, extending from the nose. This can be inflated to form a bi-lobed hood over the top and front of the head.
Hooded seals are solitary animals outside the breeding and moulting seasons. They are very aggressive and territorial in nature.
Lifespan:
Hooded seals live to be 30-35 years. Males reach maturity at 5-7 years and females at 3-6 years. Usually, one pup is born per year, about 1 m in length and weighing around 24 kg. The milk of the hooded seal is the richest of any mammal, consisting of over 60% fat.
Habitat:
They require ice floes to haul out during birth and moulting periods, however, they show an offshore distribution in deep, often ice-free waters at other times of the year.
When to spot:
Hooded seals can be seen during the spring, summer and autumn in Svalbard waters, in fjords or in more open water areas (wherever there is pack ice). They engage in long seasonal migrations from southern wintering and breeding areas to more northern feeding areas in the summer.
Diet:
The hooded seal has extremely sensitive whiskers, like other pinnipeds that help them to detect prey while foraging. Adults are deep-divers, sometimes diving to depths of more than 1,000 m and for up to an hour, where they feed on fish, crustaceans and molluscs.
Predators:
Polar bears are natural predators of hooded seals. Killer whales may also be a predator, although this has never been conclusively documented.
Fact
The hooded seal is the largest “true seal” (Family Phocidae) in the North Atlantic.
How To Identify
Hooded seals are named for the large elastic sac that extends from their noses to their foreheads that expands into a large red balloon-like ball in adult males. They use this to display aggression towards other males and to attract females during mating season.
Hooded seals have a black face and a blue-grey coat with patterns of dark patches.
They are highly “sexually dimorphic”; adult males measure an average of 2.5-3 m in length and weigh about 300-400 kg. Adult females are smaller, measuring an average of 2-2.4 m in length and weighing about 160-230 kg
Image: © Jenny E. Ross
Vulnerability Status
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
Country status: Endangered
Population size: Greenland Sea: ca 76,000, Northwest Atlantic: ca 600,000
The hooded seal is one of two pelagic seal species that have been harvested in Norwegian territories.
Hooded seals were commonly killed for their pelts, and juvenile “bluebacks”, named because of their blue-grey backs and white bellies, were particularly valued.
The population size of the hooded seal has declined steadily since the 1940s, even after harvesting regulations were imposed in the 1960s. The species has now been protected and the population size has stabilised at a low level. They are found around North and East Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Russia, and the population is estimated to be approximately 600,000 – 700,000 individuals.
Threats
Hunting
Image: © JNOAA Fisheries
Historically, hooded seals were hunted to make oil, leather and fur. Commercial exploitation of the Greenland Sea stock began in the 18th century. By the 1920s, this hunt was completely dominated by Norway. Catch levels ranged between 40-60 thousand seals per year until the late 1950s, when management measures were taken to reduce the hunt. In 1983, the European Economic Community banned the import of hooded seal pup (blueback) skins, largely destroying the market for these pelts. In 2007, hunting for hooded seals in Norway was banned except for scientific research purposes. Unfortunately, illegal hunting still occurs today.
Climate change
Hooded seals require areas of thick sea ice late in the season for successful breeding. The extent of this type of ice cover has drastically reduced over the last several decades. This may impact pup survival due to interrupted nursing, starvation or cold stress, and increase their susceptibility to predation.
Shipping/oil spills
Increasing ship traffic in the Arctic due to reduced ice cover and more open water could affect hooded seal habitat through their emissions or accidental fuel spills. They could also introduce invasive species and cause noise pollution.
Fishing
Hooded seals feed on many fish species which also are valuable commercial species in the area. Reduced availability of potential prey due to fishing activities threatens this species
Importance of the species:
Hooded seals are predators of many fish species, such as polar cod, squid, and various crustaceans. They may also affect predator populations (sharks, orcas, and polar bears), as items of prey. There is a very small Norwegian population of Hooded Seals left.
Fact
Hooded seals have the shortest lactation period of any mammal, with pups nursing for only 3-5 days.
Conservation Actions
The Hooded Seal is protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
NOAA Fisheries are committed to the protection of hooded seals.
Targeted management actions taken to secure protections for these seals include: Implementing Seal Management Plans in partnership with the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation, overseeing marine mammal health and stranding response, educating the public about hooded seals and the threats they face.
Scientific advice on stock status and sustainable catch levels is based on the deliberations of the Joint International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) – Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) – NAMMCO Working Group on Harp and Hooded Seals (WGHARP).
In Norway, research on hooded seals is conducted through the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI). Some of the research is conducted under the MOSJ programme – Environmental Monitoring of Jan Mayen and Svalbard.
What You Can Do To Help
Sign petitions to stop seal hunting e.g. NOAH Stop Seal Hunting! SIGN HERE
Entanglement in marine litter and ghost fishing gear is a large threat to seals. You could participate in a beach clean or pick up any rope, net or strapping found on the beach.
Further Information
Click the title below for further information.
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The Institute of Marine Research (IMR) is one of the biggest marine research institutes in Europe, with about 1,100 employees. Our main activities are research, advisory work and monitoring.
Through its research and advice, the IMR seeks to help society to continue exploiting the valuable assets in the sea sustainably. They are a neutral knowledge provider, and they publicise their research results both in Norway and internationally.
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Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) is Norway's central governmental institution for scientific research, mapping and environmental monitoring in the Arctic and the Antarctic. The institute advises Norwegian authorities on matters concerning polar environmental management and is the official environmental management body for Norwegian activities in Antarctica.
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MOSJ (Environmental Monitoring of Svalbard and Jan Mayen) is an environmental monitoring system and part of the Government’s environmental monitoring in Norway. An important function is to provide a basis for seeing whether the political targets set for the development of the environment in the North are being attained.
Common Name: Atlantic Puffin
Scientific Name: Fratercula arctica
Fact
Atlantic puffins are often referred to as “sea parrots” or “clowns of the sea” due to their colourful beak.
About
Overview:
These seabirds are excellent swimmers using their wings as propellers and their webbed feet as rudders. They can dive to depths of 60m (200ft) hunting small fish such as herring or sand eels. The Atlantic Puffin is also a great flyer able to reach speeds of 55 miles an hour by flapping their wings up to 400 times per minute. However unlike many other seabirds the Atlantic puffin is unable to glide.
They are relatively small seabirds, ranging from 26-29cm (10-11ins) and weigh 310-550g (10-19oz).
Lifespan:
The Atlantic puffin is long-lived, living up to 30 years. The young take several years to mature and do not breed until they are 3-6 years old. The females lay only one egg and the monogamous pair take turns to incubate it. When the chick hatches, the parents take turns carrying small beaks to the nest.
Habitat:
Puffins primarily live at sea only coming ashore to breed on rocky and sparsely vegetated cliffs and islands during the spring and summer.
When to spot:
The breeding season is between March and August with its peak in May.
Where to spot:
The Atlantic puffin ranges across the North Atlantic from Norway to Canada and south to Spain. 60% of the global population of Atlantic puffins live in Iceland. The Atlantic puffin colonies in Norway mainly nest in the Northern regions, in particular on Western Spirsbergen, Runde Island, Lovund Island and Anda Island.
Diet:
Small fish such as herring or sand eels.
Predators:
The greatest natural predator of the puffin is the Great Black-backed Gull. This gull can catch adult puffins in mid-air. Introduced predators include rats, mink and cats.
Fact
Baby puffins are known as pufflings.
How To Identify
Atlantic puffins are stout seabirds with a big head, short neck and a large triangular bill. The bill grows larger and has more grooves as the bird ages. The gaudy, bright colours the bill displays in breeding seasons fades to loses its yellow highlights in the winter. Their bright white faces also fade to darker grey in the non breeding seasons. Puffins stand in an upright position on land and float high in the water. They have short, straight wings and fly with continuous, fast wingbeats.
Vulnerability Status
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
Country status: Vulnerable
Population size: The global population of Atlantic puffins is estimated at 12-14 million mature individuals.
Norway is home to approximately 30% of the Atlantic puffin population. Lovund Island boasts the largest puffin colony in the country. The colony exceeds 300,000 birds and is located off the Helgeland coast covering less than 5sq.km (7.7sq.mi).
Declines during the 19th century were due to overharvesting of adults and eggs however the Atlantic puffin population continued to decrease well into the 20th century. The introduction of predators, such as rats, to nesting islands has also had a detrimental effect to the Atlantic puffin population. Southernmost breeding colonies have been shown to have poor breeding success in warm-water years. These are becoming more frequent as the climate crisis continues and the world heats up.
Threats
Key threats to species:
Historically Atlantic puffins were hunted heavily for eggs, feathers and meat and so populations have declined. Although this species now has some or complete legal protection in most places they are still continuing to decline. This is perhaps a result of changes in the North Atlantic food webs.
The Atlantic puffins hold a special place in the hearts of many Norwegian people. There is an annual festival to celebrate puffins, called Lundefestivalen, on Røst, a small island at the tip of the Lofoten archipelago. Historically there would be a feast of puffin eggs and meat at these festivals.
Importance of the species:
With 40% of our oceans globally being heavily used and affected by human activities we need to be aware of the important indicators of ocean health. Atlantic puffins are such indicators of ocean health. If fish stocks decline due to overfishing or other environmental factors then the numbers of fish the puffins bring ashore to their chicks also decline.
Our oceans contribute to food security with 3 billion people relying on seafood as a primary source of protein. Often these fishing communities near breeding sites benefit from having a healthy puffin colony. Tourists flock to breeding sites to see these amazingly colourful birds. Paying to see the birds, staying in local hotels and dining in restaurants all brings income to many communities. Responsible stewardship of puffin colonies will also benefit many other seabirds including storm-petrels and terns.
Fact
The Atlantic puffin is the only native puffin species to the Atlantic Ocean.
Conservation Actions
The Project Puffin was started in 1973 by the National Audubon Society to learn how to restore puffins to their historic nesting sites on the islands in the Gulf of Maine. Since its beginning the Puffin Project now actively protects and restores populations of puffins and many other Maine seabirds as well as hosting many public education programs. Between 1973 and 1986, 953 young puffins were transplanted from Great Island to Eastern Egg Rock of which 914 successfully fledged. In 1977 these transplanted puffins began to return to Eastern Egg Rock. With the encouragement of wooden puffin decoys the puffin numbers steadily increased. In 1981 there were only four breeding pairs on Eastern Egg Rock and there are now over 150 pairs. The transplantation of puffins proved a success and so the National Audubon Society and the Canadian Wildlife Service began a similar project at Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge in outer Penobscot Bay with equal success.
The Project Puffin only has a year round staff team of 7 but this increases to 50 during the breeding seasons including interns and volunteers.
Off the southern coast of Iceland lies the island Heimaey. Here the children of the island are on constant “puffin patrol” during breeding season helping chicks who, disoriented by the island’s lights, fly into town. The lost birds are taken to the local aquarium where they are measured and tagged before being returned to the water.
What You Can Do To Help
Puffins rely heavily on the marine ecosystem to thrive. Without a healthy ocean puffins would not survive. To help puffins survive ensure you purchase sustainably caught fish, reduce your carbon footprint and stop using single use plastics. Check out our Health of the Oceans and Ocean Food Sourcing pages to find out more about how you can protect and potentially help restore the marine environment.
Further Information
Click the title below for further information.
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The National Audubon Society started Project Puffin in 1973 in an effort to learn how to restore puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine.
Today, Project Puffin refers to the active seabird restoration programs for puffins and other Maine seabirds as well as many public education programs. In Maine and beyond, Project Puffin is also known as Audubon’s Seabird Institute (formerly Seabird Restoration Program) as it actively works to share restoration methods to benefit rare and endangered seabirds worldwide while building a culture of seabird conservation and appreciation.
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An information website about the problems puffins face today and how you can help them.
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Since the 1990s, the Trust has been monitoring and protecting the puffin colony on Handa Island Wildlife Reserve which is owned by Scourie Estate and managed in partnership with the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The Trust has helped to monitor seabird numbers, organise beach cleans to remove potentially harmful litter, and even managed to eradicate brown rats from the island in 1997.
The Trust’s Living Seas work focuses on improving the protection of our marine environment and engaging people with it. With the future of puffins directly linked to the health of our seas, we try to influence at the very top levels, campaigning for new Marine Protected Areas and promoting the sustainable use of our seas.