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SEAL
OBSERVATION WALKS
Join
Mike Bottini on a 3 mile (round trip) hike to view seals
and learn about their habits, behavior, and population
trends in the Long Island region. Dress warm and wear
comfortable hiking shoes; we will be outdoors for 2.5 hours.
Binoculars recommended but not necessary. Mike will bring a
spotting scope that everyone will get a chance to use. This
program is sponsored by New York State Parks, and is
scheduled to coincide with low tide, when seals are most
likely to be basking on the rocks.
Meet at the Montauk Point concession area.
FEE: $5/person ($3 for children) plus a $6 vehicle parking
fee.
Call 631-668-5000 for reservations and additional
information.
Seals on Long Island
During the cooler months, some special visitors from
the north come to Long Island starting in
mid-November. They return to Northern New England
and Canada in May. Seals belonging to the Pinniped
family (meaning “feather footed” or “winged”), are
true seals which lack external earflaps, have
torpedo shaped bodies for fast swimming. They have
long, sharp claws to help them dig into the ice
while climbing out of the water or onto the beach.
Unlike sea lions, their front flippers are short and
they are referred to as “earless” seals. Their hind
flippers are webbed and pointed backwards to help
them swim. They have been recorded swimming over 12
miles per hour and have been spotted swimming 70
miles off of the coast of Long Island.
Seals haul out of the water to rest, sleep, and warm
up in the sun’s heat. While on land sunning
themselves, they are often seen in a “banana” shaped
position.
The seals we see on Long Island are most often
Harbor seals, but there are a few other types, such
as harp seals, grey seals, hooded seals, and ringed
seals. Numbers have been increasing in past years
into the thousands around Long Island due to the
changing location of their food sources and the
changing temperatures of their watery habitat. Most
of the seals that visit Long Island are younger
seals. These marine mammals eat a variety of
crustaceans, fish and shellfish like mussels, clams,
oysters and squid. |
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Common Winter Residents
Grey Seal
Grey Seals have a silvery grey coat with mottled
black markings. Their eyes are set further back on
their head. They are easily identified with their
horse like snout, large head, and loud bark. We
usually see the smaller sized pups on our beaches.
Harbor Seal
This is the most common seal you may see, with a
white to yellowish coat with a white to yellowish
coat with black speckles. Males are 5-5 ˝ feet and
weigh about 375 pounds. Females and pups are
smaller. Pups we see are often about 6 months to 1˝
years old, weighing about 20 pounds and are
approximately 2 ˝ feet long. When in the water,
their face resembles that of a dog. Their species
name literally means “sea dog”.
Occasional Sightings
Harp Seal
Adults have a dark chevron shape on their back and
can reach up to 6 feet in length and 400 pounds.
Pups have a light coat with black blotches and are
more commonly seen than the adults.
Ringed Seal
Ringed seals have dark ringed spots over a silvery
coat on their back and sides. Their underside is
silvery also. These seals reach 4 – 4 ˝ feet in
length and up to 200 pounds. Pups are smaller.
These seals are a rare sight in our area.
Hooded Seal
Hooded seals come south, traveling from the Polar
ice pack, the same region as the harp seal. Adults
reach lengths of 7 - 9 feet and 670 - 900 pounds.
Males have an unusual nasal sac that is inflated when threatened or angered.
Pups are 3 ˝ feet and about 50 pounds. Pups lack
the nasal sac, but have a large round head and flat
face.
Seal Fun Facts
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Seals can hold their breath for up to 28 minutes on
a long dive.
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Seals have a thick layer of blubber and a fur coat
to protect them from the cold waters they live in.
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Seals sense predators using their sensitive
whiskers and hearing.
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Seals are protected under the Marine Mammal Act of
1972.
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Some seals from the Artic go as far south as the Carolinas.
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