This talk is aimed at sharing observations of natural wild seal behaviour gathered over two decades. If we begin to imagine what it might be like to be a seal, we can better appreciate what seals need from us. Beautifully illustrated and with video content, discover the links seals make between sea and land, their main behavioural drivers, and how their/our world is changing. We end with an optimistic ‘plan for the future’ to ensure this wild marine heritage species thrives, giving future generations something to smile about.

This talk is aimed at sharing the key things we have learned from observations of natural wild seal behaviour gathered over two decades. If we begin to imagine what it might be like to be a seal, we can better appreciate what seals need from us. Beautifully illustrated with real seal stories and video content, you’ll discover the links seals make between sea and land featuring their main behavioural drivers. We cover all the key impacts we are having on seals and how their world is changing. Evidence about entanglement, disturbance and climate change are presented along with the conservation actions undertaken to mitigate these. We end with an optimistic plan of how you can help to ensure this wild marine heritage species thrives for future generations to smile about as well. Signposts for more information for those that want it are also provided.

7 seal stories about celebrity seals and 7 their amazing abilities. Learn about ‘bananaing’ seals, seal senses, why crying is good, reflexes, dive adaptations, pup growth and annual moult. Finally learn 7 ways you can help seals.

Whilst grey seal pups are superbly adapted to life in the sea, with mortality rates of between 40 - 75%, their first few months can be tough, as they learn to fend for themselves. Explore the world (made possible by big camera lenses) of local mums and pups and witness their amazing transformation. Discover incredible facts about seal pups during their first year of life. This multimedia talk is fully illustrated with photos and videos of seals in Cornwall.

Amongst marine mammals, seals are most vulnerable, given their terrestrial and marine habitat needs. As a result, they are exposed to multiple impacts, making them useful sentinels alerting us to the state of our seas. Existing issues include Prey availability, Habitat loss, Pollution, Bycatch and Entanglement, Disturbance. Consumerism, Climate change, Marine development and Coastal squeeze are driving a multitude of new issues for marine life including Microplastics, Harmful algal blooms, Toxins, Pathogens, Pharmaceutical runoff and spatial/temporal shifts in habitat. Seals have been highly adaptive, but how many adaptation options do they have left?

At 2.4 metres, Septimus was the third-longest dead seal ever washed-up dead in Cornwall! As a real seal skeleton with a life, death, decomposition and articulation story, Septimus is a world-unique resource with an amazing, shocking and chilling story to tell about the plight of our globally rare grey seals. He survived, despite everything we and nature threw at him. Ongoing investigations and developments are taking place across the world and ironically Septimus’ story has taken on a life of its own.

With a life time of experience from her first career (as a lead learner, aka teacher), and her second career as a marine conservationist, Sue has a learned a lot about how to work effectively from getting that much desired new role, communicating to be understood, working well with others, managing networks and progressing conservation. Discover her insights into how to make your best difference.

As human activity around our spectacular coast increases, marine life is getting pushed into ever smaller areas of habitat. To enable marine life to continue using their remaining sensitive sites, we have to manage ourselves around them. Being marine and terrestrial in nature, seals are a particularly vulnerable species spotlighting issues. Whilst vital for the public to be able to see and enjoy wild seals, we need to do everything we possibly can to manage these opportunities to get the best out of wild experiences for both people and seals. Learn how this starts with a philosophy, emotional connections, role modelling and resources – physical management in the field is a last resort.

It is wonderful that statutory agencies have learned to work with citizen science networks to gather vital and affordable data needed to inform critical decisions. As a highly successful regional citizen science charity working nationally and internationally, the Seal Research Trust have lots of top tips, strategies and advice about setting up, running and most importantly sustaining such networks over the long term to achieve the greatest benefits. We all need to work smarter and learn from each other’s experience to maximise our outputs for nature.