Chapter 1: The Role of Seals in Climate Research

Across the globe, seals such as elephant, crabeater, and Weddell are taking on a crucial role in scientific exploration. Beneath the thick Antarctic ice, these remarkable creatures swim through icy waters, gathering valuable data on currents, temperature, salinity, pressure, and more. Each time they surface for air, the sensors they carry communicate with satellites, sending essential information to scientists worldwide. Seals can access depths that human-made equipment often cannot reach, and they do so at a fraction of the cost. These natural submarines are playing an essential role in studying the changing climate while also investigating their own behaviors, helping both humanity and themselves.

Section 1.1: The Challenges of Tagging Seals

Attaching a sensor to a seal is no simple task. Only a handful of experts around the world can accomplish this feat. Lars Boehme, a researcher from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, is one such expert, known affectionately as “the seal whisperer” by his teammates aboard the icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer during their 2019 expedition. Carolyn Beeler from PRI’s The World described how Boehme approaches elephant and Weddell seals with great care during their annual “catastrophic molt,” a time when they shed their fur and the outer layer of their skin while resting on Antarctica's chilly beaches. Boehme observes the seals to ensure they are nearing the end of this process before using a dart to administer Zoletil, a commonly used veterinary sedative. This gives him a limited window of about ten minutes to attach the necessary equipment.

Section 1.2: The Process of Attaching Sensors

Wearing a bright orange jumpsuit and under the watchful eyes of nearby penguins, Boehme carefully uses epoxy to affix the equipment to the seals' heads. Working swiftly in the freezing conditions, he and his team must act quickly, as their hands are only shielded by a thin layer of rubber. After securing the sensor, he retreats to observe the seal as it regains consciousness. The team positions itself between the seal and the ocean, protecting the disoriented animal until it is fully alert and ready to swim. Boehme explains, “They have no land predators here, which allows us to do this. In the Arctic, this seal would be in the water when we arrived.”

Chapter 2: The Impact of Seal Research

Once the antenna is attached, the seal is free to return to its life in the Southern Ocean. Among the tagged seals, the massive elephant seals are particularly valuable for data collection, diving as deep as 5,000 feet for up to two hours. They traverse the Circumpolar Deep Water, a layer of warmer, saltier current that plays a significant role in melting Antarctic ice shelves. While hunting for fish and squid, elephant seals follow this current along the continental shelf to the base of colossal ice shelves, areas that human instruments struggle to access. Although the warm current provides sustenance, it also accelerates ice melt, making it vital to comprehend its effects on the climate.

The first video, "E86: How can leopard seals survive climate change? [SJK Audio Edition]," explores how seals adapt to their changing environment and the implications for climate resilience.

Using seals for research raises ethical considerations. Scientists collaborate with marine ecologists, veterinarians, and animal welfare experts to minimize risks to the animals. Kristen A. Walker from the University of British Columbia emphasizes the importance of prioritizing animal welfare while achieving conservation goals. She asserts, “Integrating these disciplines allows for greater focus on individual animals while still advancing overall conservation efforts.”

The second video, "Unsung Heroes: Southern Ocean vs. climate change," highlights the critical role of seals in understanding the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.

The partnership between animal welfare advocates and researchers ensures that the seals’ well-being remains a priority. The data collected not only sheds light on the warming oceans but also aids in understanding seal behavior for conservation and population studies. Researchers can track hundreds of seals, gaining insights into their movements, experiences, and even mortality. Remarkably, no significant changes in seal behavior or reproduction have been observed due to the sensors over the years, indicating that the method is safe for the animals.

The detailed information gathered by these seals has provided scientists with a comprehensive understanding of their feeding habits, social structures, differences in behavior between genders, and the impact of changing conditions on their foraging strategies. The data also illuminates their interactions with other marine species and the broader effects of climate change. All of this information is critical in identifying vital ocean habitats that need protection and predicting how these areas may shift as the climate evolves.

The seals have amassed over two decades of data, aiding scientists in tracking climate change and uncovering rare phenomena throughout the Southern Ocean. The insights gained extend beyond biological research, solving long-standing mysteries about sea ice dynamics, such as the formation of polynyas—areas of open water surrounded by ice—and the movement of icebergs. All of this information is disseminated publicly through two international scientific collaborations, MEOP (Marine Mammals Exploring the Ocean Pole to Pole) and AniBOS (Animal Borne Ocean Sensors), enabling researchers to utilize the data.

Ultimately, the sensors will eventually fall off or be shed, sinking to the ocean floor, but the data collected will be invaluable for years to come. This collaboration between humans and seals enhances our understanding of the natural world, providing insights that would be impossible to gather otherwise. It represents a remarkable partnership between some of nature's most capable animals and the humans dedicated to understanding both them and our planet more deeply.