The effect of weather conditions on harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina ) haulout behaviour in the Moray Firth, northeast Scotland

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Grellier, Kate, Thompson, Paul M., Corpe, Heather M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1996
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; harbour seal; Phoca vitulina
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z96-201; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z96-201

Abundance data from a 6-year study (1988–1993) of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) were used to control for seasonal changes in haulout behaviour and assess the effect of temperature and other weather conditions on haulout numbers at a site in Scotland. A significant relationship between Julian day and haulout numbers was consistent between years. In some years, there was also a significant relationship between ambient temperature and haulout numbers, but examination of the residuals around the relationship between haulout numbers and Julian day revealed no evidence for a consistent effect of temperature, wind speed, or wind-chill adjusted temperatures. A weak negative relationship between haulout numbers and both precipitation and cloud cover did exist, but these variables explained little of the variation in seal numbers.