Seal count data at Signy Island

The total number of seals on Signy Island is counted in February each year. The island is divided into 6 areas, sub-divided into 105 zones and the number of Antarctic Fur seals, Elephant seals, Weddell seals and other seal species in each zone is counted typically over a two day period. For Fur seals the number of pups, white seals and entangled seals are also recorded. The first recorded count was conducted in 1974 and counts have been done annually since 1985.