The annual Great Seal Count took place this past weekend, when seals were counted along beaches of Vatnsnes peninsula and cape Heggstaðarnes around Húnaflói bay in Northwest Iceland. Experts helped by volunteers, spotted 580 animals during the count. That is below the average (760) but higher than in 2015 when only 446 seals were counted in the area, which is the lowest number recorded since the Great Seal Count started ten years ago.
Condiitions were good this year but last year awful weather on Sunday had an effect, as seals are less likely to swim to shore when strong winds are blowing or it is raining.
The event is hosted by the Icelandic Seal Center in the nearby Hvammstangi town. Some of Iceland’s best seal watching locations are in this area.
The coastline was divided into small areas and the staff of the Seal center and the volunteers counted the seals in each area.
The last comprehensive scientific count of the seal population around Iceland was in 2011. At that time the total population of harbour seals, the most common type of seal in Iceland, was estimated at just under 12 thousand animals, and had remained constant since 2003.
The distance from Reykjavík to the town of Hvammstangi is 194 km (120 mi) by car.
See more at the website of the Icelandic Seal Center.
The annual Great Seal Count took place this past weekend, when seals were counted along beaches of Vatnsnes peninsula and cape Heggstaðarnes around Húnaflói bay in Northwest Iceland. Experts helped by volunteers, spotted 580 animals during the count. That is below the average (760) but higher than in 2015 when only 446 seals were counted in the area, which is the lowest number recorded since the Great Seal Count started ten years ago.
Condiitions were good this year but last year awful weather on Sunday had an effect, as seals are less likely to swim to shore when strong winds are blowing or it is raining.
The event is hosted by the Icelandic Seal Center in the nearby Hvammstangi town. Some of Iceland’s best seal watching locations are in this area.
The coastline was divided into small areas and the staff of the Seal center and the volunteers counted the seals in each area.
The last comprehensive scientific count of the seal population around Iceland was in 2011. At that time the total population of harbour seals, the most common type of seal in Iceland, was estimated at just under 12 thousand animals, and had remained constant since 2003.
The distance from Reykjavík to the town of Hvammstangi is 194 km (120 mi) by car.
See more at the website of the Icelandic Seal Center.
