Bioenergetics of the grey seal

Bioenergetics and prey abundance for grey seals in the Baltic grey seal

Funded by Carl Tryggers Stiftelse

Baltic grey seals have been hunted from about 90 000 to 5000 animals in the 20th century (Harding and Harkonen 1999) and are now recovering to about 45 000 animals. However, their body condition is declining and blubber layers are thinner. We have developed a bioenergetic model that shows how the grey seals depend on the energy intake and expenditure through out the life-cycle (Silva et al 2020). In a new project 2021 financed by Carl Tryggers Foundation we will study in detail how fish population abundance and quality affect seal growth and survival of seals. We will update here with the latest progress as the projects moves on.

Postdoc starting soon!!! Badreddine Bererhi joins the project.