Using New Tools and Technology to Monitor Harbor Seals
Julian Dale (Lead Engineer, Duke University) and Dave Johnston (Professor of Marine Science, Duke university) reviewing imagery of seals collected by Blue UAS in Johns Hopkins Inlet in Glacier Bay.
NPS/Jamie Womble
The NPS-Southeast Alaska Network is partnering with Duke University Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab (Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing – Technology at the forefront of marine science and conservation (marineuas.net)) with Dr. David Johnson and Julian Dale (Lead Engineer) to develop survey methods using Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) to collect digital photographs of harbor seals in Glacier Bay National Park to estimate spatial distribution and abundance for long-term population monitoring.
Harbor seals on ice collected by Blue UAS in Johns Hopkins Inlet in Glacier Bay.
Population monitoring of harbor seals in Glacier Bay has been conducted since the 1970s by the National Park Service using both ground and aerial survey methods. Since the early 1990s, harbor seals have declined in glacial ice and terrestrial habitats in Glacier Bay since and are a high priority for monitoring.
Harbor seals collected by Blue UAS at Spider Island Reef in Glacier Bay.
Unoccupied aircraft surveys were conducted in 2023 and 2024 using Blue UAS to collect high-resolution digital imagery of seals at glacier ice and terrestrial habitats in Glacier Bay. These photos acquired by Blue UAS will be used to estimate density, abundance, and body condition of harbor seals. These efforts will help refine sustainable long-term population monitoring methods and improve the safety of biologists, pilots, and efficiency of future data collection efforts. Using UAS will also reduce noise, fuel consumption, and impacts to wilderness.
