Scientists count seals from space

Using images taken from space and with the help of more than 300,000 citizen scientists (members of the public who volunteer to collect or study information for experts), researchers think they have come up with the most accurate guess ever of Antarctica’s Weddell seal population. Weddell seals are an “indicator species” (one that helps to show the environmental conditions in an area) for the Southern Ocean. Their presence, or absence, can help scientists understand how sea ice and feeding habits are changing. The animals live further south than any other seal and can live up to 30 years in the sea ice around Antarctica. Until recently, though, counting them has been difficult and expensive. Research was often done using ships and planes but you can’t cover the whole of Antarctica…

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The Week Junior (Digital) - 1 Issue, 355

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