BGS Hosted Metadata
Annual population counts of multiple species of seal, Signy Island, 1974-2024
The seal population on Signy Island has been monitored since 1974. The total number of adult seals were counted in February each year. The island was divided into 6 zones, and the number of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) and other seal species in each zone were counted, typically over several days. For fur seals the number of pups, white seals and entangled seals were also recorded. The first recorded count was conducted in 1974 and counts have been done annually since 1985. This work is carried out to support the conservation of higher predators at Signy.
This work was funded by Natural Environment Research Council (UK) core funding to the British Antarctic Survey.
Simple
- Date (Creation)
- 2025-03-04
- Date (Revision)
- 2025-03-04
- Date (Publication)
- 2025-03-04
- Date (released)
- 2025-03-04
- Edition
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1.0
- Unique resource identifier
- https://doi.org/10.5285/8e910ac8-6f52-4548-bbcb-78474b559294
- Codespace
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doi
- Unique resource identifier
- GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/02026
- Codespace
- Other citation details
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Please cite this item as: Dunn, M., Waluda, C., Adlard, S., Lynnes, A., Fox, D., Briggs, D., & Morley, T. (2025). Annual population counts of multiple species of seal, Signy Island, 1974-2024 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/8e910ac8-6f52-4548-bbcb-78474b559294
- Credit
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No credit.
- Status
- Completed
- Point of contact
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role British Antarctic Survey Dunn, Michael
Author British Antarctic Survey Waluda, Claire
Author British Antarctic Survey Adlard, Stacey
Author International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators
Lynnes, Amanda
Author The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Fox, Derren
Author British Antarctic Survey Briggs, Dirk
Author University of Aberdeen
Morley, Tim
Author NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre Point of contact
- Maintenance and update frequency
- As needed
- Maintenance note
- Completed
- Theme
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Antarctic Fur Seal
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Arctocephalus gazella
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Elephant Seal
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Leptonychotes weddellii
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Mirounga leonina
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Seal count
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Weddell Seal
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- Place
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Signy Island South Orkney Islands
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GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
- Access constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- no limitations to public access
- Access constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- no limitations
- Use constraints
- License
- Other constraints
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Use constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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This data is governed by the NERC Data Policy: https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/nerc/our-policies-and-standards/nerc-data-policy/
- Use constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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and supplied under Open Government Licence v.3 ().
- Unique resource identifier
- url
- Codespace
-
url
- Association Type
- Cross reference
- Spatial representation type
- Text, table
- Language
- English
- Character set
- UTF8
- Topic category
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- Biota
)
- Begin date
- 1974-01-01
- End date
- 2024-03-31
- Supplemental Information
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It is recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of any data, and that the author be contacted with any questions regarding appropriate use. If you find any errors or omissions, please report them to polardatacentre@bas.ac.uk.
- Title
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European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) Geodetic Parameter Registry
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-11-12
- Cited responsible party
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role European Petroleum Survey Group
Publisher
- Unique resource identifier
- urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::3031
- Version
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6.18.3
Distributor
- Distributor contact
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre Distributor
- Units of distribution
-
bytes
- Transfer size
- 1
- OnLine resource
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Protocol Linkage Name WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link
http://ramadda.data.bas.ac.uk/repository/entry/show?entryid=8e910ac8-6f52-4548-bbcb-78474b559294 Get Data
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Statement
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Methodology:
The coastal area of Signy Island was divided into six standard zones which were each divided into a number of regions. The zone boundaries remained unaltered between survey years. Within each zone, all seals present were counted.
Direct line-of-sight ground counts, using binoculars, took place led by experienced observers using a consistent methodology. Pairs of observers used tally counters to record each individual adult seal sighted on land and on sea ice adjacent to the coast of each zone, the whole census being completed over a single day prior to 1995 and over two or three days (in February) from 1997 to 2024. In some earlier surveys the month has not been recorded.
The data presented here comprises the individual area counts for each survey year.
Data collection:
Binoculars
Hand-held tally counter
Data quality:
Annual surveys followed consistent methodology led by experienced biologists. All personnel were familiar with identifying the three species of seal and care was always taken to examine all areas on the surveys, in order to ensure no seals were missed. Surveys took place in dry and calm weather conditions as high levels of precipitation and strong winds are known to drive large numbers of Antarctic fur seals into the sea for the duration of a storm at Signy Island. Years with no data indicate personnel had not arrived on Signy in time to carry out this activity. For additional information see Waluda et al 2010.
Metadata
- File identifier
- 8e910ac8-6f52-4548-bbcb-78474b559294 XML
- Metadata language
- English
- Character set
- UTF8
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Hierarchy level name
-
dataset
- Date stamp
- 2025-03-04
- Metadata standard name
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ISO 19115 Geographic Information - Metadata
- Metadata standard version
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ISO 19115:2003(E)
- Metadata author
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre Point of contact
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