Category Archives: Mammal Notes

Video: Elephant seal pup born on Vancouver island is an online star : Global TV

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(Global TV  toured the waters of Race Rocks and did an Interview with the Ecological Reserve Warden Garry Fletcher on January15: Click on the image to see the article .

Global TV

An elephant seal pup is getting used to the watchful eye of the Internet.

Its every move is being broadcast by a webcam to people watching around the world.

It was born in the early morning hours of January 14 at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve in the Strait of Juan de Fuca just off the southern tip of Vancouver island.

The reserve says this is the fifth pup born to a female called Bertha since January 2009.

Race Rocks is the only place in Canada where elephant seals breed and while other baby seals have been born on the reserve’s other islands, they’ve been washed out to sea by the waves.

Elephant seals were hunted to near-extinction in the 19th century, but are now protected under the Fisheries Act.

Elephant seals more durable than internet networks

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I  checked on the pup briefly this morning (so far unnamed as we will wait for a while to make sure he has a good chance of survival.)  I said “he” because Alex thinks it is probably a male because of a tell-tale opening midway from umbilical to tail.

Pup- 2014-01-15 at 11.10.50 AMThis picture taken at 11:15 AM from camera 1 shows all is well and the male Chunk (top) is not bothering the pup or the female. 

 

 

Hopefully you can take advantage of the documentation we have on the website of our observations of elephant seals at Race Rocks Ecological reserve.……more tomorrow…..

Elephant seal Pup at Race Rocks Jan 15, 2014

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These are images taken yesterday of the new elephant seal pup at Race Rocks . (by resident Ecoguardian Alex Fletcher). The pup has been nursing regularly and the male “Chunk” is not bothering it so far.

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The students of the Marine Science classes from Lester Pearson College were able to get out to Race Rocks to observe the new arrival first hand from a safe distance.  students-7490

Arrival of elephant seal pup watched around the world: Times Colonist

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Arrival of elephant seal pup watched around the world
Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist
January 14, 2014 09:15 P

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An elephant seal and her pup at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Photograph by: Alexander Fletcher

An elephant seal pup is nursing at its mother’s side at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, oblivious to the fact a camera is sending its image around the world.

The pup was born Monday evening — the first birth of an elephant seal this year on the main island, said Garry Fletcher, educational director for the reserve’s website.

Another elephant seal was born last week on one of the smaller islands but rough weather washed it into the sea where it perished.

“All the ones that are born on the outer islands get washed off,” Fletcher said Tuesday. “This one is from a mother that’s had young ones there four or five times before.”

Race Rocks is the only spot in Canada where elephant seals breed, Fletcher said. Normally, elephant seals choose breeding colonies in Oregon or northern California.

There are usually a few elephant seals hanging out at Race Rocks throughout the year, Fletcher said. Last June, a record high of 15 elephant seals were counted on the reef.

Elephant seals are far out-numbered at Race Rocks by their cousins, California sea lions and northern sea lions. Males can grow to four metres in length and weigh 2.3 tonnes, more than a average car, and are often twice as big as male California sea lions.

Harbour seals, which are smaller and much more commonly seen along the coast, also use Race Rocks to breed.

The numbers of elephant sea lions are rebounding after being hunted to near extinction by the end of the 19th century. Elephant seals are now protected under the Fisheries Act.

To see live images of the baby elephant seal, go to the Race Rocks website.

© Copyright Times Colonist

Other Media in which  the story is covered:

 

 

Westerly

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Over the past 5 days we have had strong westerly winds reaching over 40 NMPH most days (in the evening) and over 50
NMPH on Saturday evening. There have been heavy swells as a result. Because of bad weather/low light I am having to run the generator longer most days, around 3 hours to charge batteries, than usual.

Chunk has mostly remained on main island with Bertha who continues to resist his advances. We are approaching the date when she gave birth two years ago. I have not been able to see the pup on middle rock for several days. The weather has made it harder to get a view over there.

On Thursday the 9th, 12 bald eagles were observed in the reserve. Still havent been able to get banding info on black oyster catchers.

Wednesday, Jan 8th: 1 charter fishing boat toured through reserve, 1 CG helicopter flew over.
Monday, Jan 13th: 1 CG helicopter flew over.

-securing things from wind
-following up on woodstove
-following up on furnace servicing
-cleaning solar panels
-fire wood cutting when weather permits

Another Year of Remote Cam Photo Records by Pam Birley

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We are very fortunate to have our friend from England, Pam Birley continuing to provide a detailed watch from her home in Leicester on the happenings at Race Rocks via the two remote controlled cameras, 1 and 5  and the underwater camera 2. There are many stories revealed by her photo gallery on Flickr.  A sample of her work is presented below: Her  complete 2013 gallery is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/66339356@N00/albums

We can follow the patterns of marine mammal use of the islands for haulout and births, and individual accounts such as her “6-spot”, a harbour seal which she has observed on the same rock by the jetty since every year since 2007.  She tracks our breeding elephant seals and she is one of the few to catch the river otter scenes on the island as well.

Pam also has made some interesting captures on the Underwater Camera 2 . There are several species of fish and invertebrates shown and  a few unidentified ones show up as well .

Her accounts of the birds of Race Rocks are also invaluable. The  roosting patterns of many species, the nesting behaviour of black oystercatchers and glaucous-winged gulls, migratory shorebird stopovers as well as predation and scavenging are detailed in her gallery.

So thanks again to Pam Birley for her commitment to having continued her watch in 2013. Her contribution to “Citizen Science ” is appreciated. The 2013 gallery is here  

Posts tagged with Pam Birley can be seen here: 

 posts tagged with Webcam Visitor Observations can be seen here:

Links to the complete set of Pam’s Race Rocks images  is available here:

 

Elephant seal pup born on Middle Rocks

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Rain, wind N 10-15 NMPH

Chunk started going after Bertha around noon and was definitely trying to mate but without any luck.  He also seemed interested in something towards the West and was sniffing the air and poking his head up.  When i went outside to check on things I could hear the distinct sound of an elephant seal pup calling its mother.  Chunk and I both went over to the west side of the island to get a better look.  I could see two females on the rock and several eagles and seagulls around hoping to get some leftovers from the birth.  I could just make our the dark head of a pup poking up occasionally from behind a rock.  Chunk left the island and by dusk I could see him on Middle rock near the mother and pup.  Bertha is back by the science centre getting some peace and rest.

Chunk and Bertha

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Partly cloudy, wind 10-15 NMPH N-NE.

This morning Chunk was on the island taking an interest in Bertha.  He chased her around a bit and made what appeared to be mating attempts.  She growled at him and resisted.