HOTLINE: +7 (812) 699-23-99
sealrescue@gmail.com
sealrescue@gmail.com
Baltic Ringed Seal Foundation
We’re helping to keep all the Baltic Ringed Seals alive and healthy
At now we have less than 200 Baltic Ringed Seals in the Gulf of Finland. If we don’t take urgent measures to help them, the Russian fauna will lose the Baltic Ringed Seals for ever
we should help’em now
It’s not the Evolution or any other natural process like many people think. These seals don’t die out by themselves: their habitat and feeding zones are little by little destroyed due to negative influence of the mankind in the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga Lake.
Often, the young seal pups break away from their mothers too early, and they can’t survive without human help.
At now these processes are still reversible, and we know what it need to do with: we’re placing the seal pups to our rehabilitation area, feeding and growing them up. Also we do a lot of researches due to the low level of understanding the lifestyle of Baltic marine mammals.
Often, the young seal pups break away from their mothers too early, and they can’t survive without human help.
At now these processes are still reversible, and we know what it need to do with: we’re placing the seal pups to our rehabilitation area, feeding and growing them up. Also we do a lot of researches due to the low level of understanding the lifestyle of Baltic marine mammals.
| What if you met a seal on the shore? The first and the main: stay away from him. Don't show yourself, don't try to touch, give a hug or other caress to him. It really scares these animals. Call to an emergency line: +7 (812) 699-23-99. Please be kind to tell us when, where you saw the animal, describe his appearance, and take some photos. |
Who they are — these Baltic Ringed Seals?
The Baltic subspecies of the ringed seal inhabits the northern parts of the Baltic Sea. The closest relatives of our seals are the Saimaa and Ladoga subspecies of the ringed seal. In the Gulf of Finland — mainly in the Russian territorial waters — there is a separate subpopulation of the seal, which now counts about 200 animals.
Forty years ago, several thousand of these animals lived in the Gulf of Finland. Despite the fact that ringed seals as a species are not specified in the IUCN Red List, the subspecies living off the coast of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region is on the edge of complete liquidation. Ringed seals of the Gulf of Finland lives in isolation, not interfering with their relatives from other parts of the Baltic Sea, and if we’ll not take some urgent measures, these rare marine mammals will disappear from the Gulf of Finland forever. And this is an irreplaceable loss for the fauna of our region.
Forty years ago, several thousand of these animals lived in the Gulf of Finland. Despite the fact that ringed seals as a species are not specified in the IUCN Red List, the subspecies living off the coast of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region is on the edge of complete liquidation. Ringed seals of the Gulf of Finland lives in isolation, not interfering with their relatives from other parts of the Baltic Sea, and if we’ll not take some urgent measures, these rare marine mammals will disappear from the Gulf of Finland forever. And this is an irreplaceable loss for the fauna of our region.
We know not so much about the lifestyle of the Baltic Ringed Seals. They prefer to stay one by one and meet their relatives just only on the rookeries. These animals can eat different kinds of fish, but the most beloved is baltic herring. The breeding season of seals goes on from the end of February to the end of April.
Seal females gives birth to the pups in snowy lairs on the ice, where they get through the hole.
In these "houses", the newborn babies are well protected from predators, cold and wind while mom is hunting. In themself habitat seals lives about 35 — 40 years. Also, it's impossible to contain these animals in any captivity: because of the weak heart, most of them die prematurely.
Seal females gives birth to the pups in snowy lairs on the ice, where they get through the hole.
In these "houses", the newborn babies are well protected from predators, cold and wind while mom is hunting. In themself habitat seals lives about 35 — 40 years. Also, it's impossible to contain these animals in any captivity: because of the weak heart, most of them die prematurely.
Baltic Ringed Seal called Inger
This seal was released in the Gulf of Finland at 21.05.2016 after two years of staying in our center
If there's no more impending threat on these animals,
Then they should learn how to feed themself — how to catch the fish, wean out of humans and realize new "styles" of swimming
In the pools, seals live in pairs or trines,
Zoologists placed together only those animals that are compatible by their nature
Seal Release!
Releasing the seal is a real gift for seals itself and their "educators" - zoologists Vyacheslav Alekseev and Elena Andrievskaya
Some seals arrived in our Center quite small,
For example, this little girl — Hanga — a few days past from its born
On the next stage of rehabilitation,
Seals moved into spacious open-air pools, and most of the time they spent in the water.
But all of this starts on the first stage of rehabilitation,
When seals placed into the individual boxes without water — they just take a shower once in a while
We release animals in the discrete places of the Gulf of Finland only,
An exact location of where we released them — not disclosed for the safety of babies
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MAJOR THREATS
The main reason of disappearance of the Baltic ringed seal is changing of their habitat. The mastering of the reservoir and its shores affects on their habitat. And increasing size of marine shipping also hurts the Baltic seal as well: due to the growing traffic, the probability of man-made disasters increases. Global and local ecological threat is significant for this rare animals.
The expersts considers that exactly because of the water pollution the number of subpopulations has decreased in 1970s. Warm winters with no snow layer has leaded to to the fact that the remaining animals now have nowhere to breed.
Most of this reasons are caused by humans. And only humans can change this negative effects. And if this is possible — to help the seals to adaptate to fastly changing environmental conditions.
The main reason of disappearance of the Baltic ringed seal is changing of their habitat. The mastering of the reservoir and its shores affects on their habitat. And increasing size of marine shipping also hurts the Baltic seal as well: due to the growing traffic, the probability of man-made disasters increases. Global and local ecological threat is significant for this rare animals.
The expersts considers that exactly because of the water pollution the number of subpopulations has decreased in 1970s. Warm winters with no snow layer has leaded to to the fact that the remaining animals now have nowhere to breed.
Most of this reasons are caused by humans. And only humans can change this negative effects. And if this is possible — to help the seals to adaptate to fastly changing environmental conditions.
WHY DO WE NEED MONEY?
We need money to rehabilitate the pups. By the spring little marine mammals often break away from their mothers too early and they can't survive without human help. The help in the specialized "Center of Reacerching and Maintenancing of Marine Mammals" in Solnechniy is provided not only for the Baltic ringed seal, but also for the gray seal and the Ladoga ringed seal.
We need money for recearching. The lifestyle of Baltic ringed seal in the Gulf of Finland is. Aerial surveys of the population have not been conducted for a long time. By knowing how a seal lives — where does it feeds, where it does rests, where it does breeds, what deseases they have experts can always propose measures to preserve these wonderful animals.
We need money to buy the safe fishnet. Every year in the usual fishing nets dozens of these animals dies. They could be rescued if only the fishers used specialized safe fishing nets, but it costs too much
We need information and education campaign. Not all residents of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region knows that the Baltic seal should be protected. And in the current situation, each animal is important for the preservation of the population.
We need money to rehabilitate the pups. By the spring little marine mammals often break away from their mothers too early and they can't survive without human help. The help in the specialized "Center of Reacerching and Maintenancing of Marine Mammals" in Solnechniy is provided not only for the Baltic ringed seal, but also for the gray seal and the Ladoga ringed seal.
We need money for recearching. The lifestyle of Baltic ringed seal in the Gulf of Finland is. Aerial surveys of the population have not been conducted for a long time. By knowing how a seal lives — where does it feeds, where it does rests, where it does breeds, what deseases they have experts can always propose measures to preserve these wonderful animals.
We need money to buy the safe fishnet. Every year in the usual fishing nets dozens of these animals dies. They could be rescued if only the fishers used specialized safe fishing nets, but it costs too much
We need information and education campaign. Not all residents of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region knows that the Baltic seal should be protected. And in the current situation, each animal is important for the preservation of the population.
During the four years of the Center's activities, more than 50 animals were rescued, and some of them became a cultural phenomenon of our region
Our "Center of Researching and Maintenancing of Marine Mammals" was founded in 2014 by two St. Petersburg's zoologists — Vyacheslav Alekseev and Elena Andrievskaya — on the base of St. Petersburg's "Vodokanal" infrastructure. At the next two years we saved 34 animals: 24 grey seals, 6 baltic ringed seals, 1 ladoga ringed seal. Then our Center was modernized and became the first Russian structure specialized exactly for helping these animals. Since then, many animals have been rescued who lost their mothers after being carried away by the water course due to ice melting. Patients like these can't survive without human help.
As a rule, the most of pups entering the Center have one diagnosis: severe exhaustion, dehydration and stress. Some of them have a cold, someone has injuries, and someone suffers from parasites. All of them are treated, restore their water balance and feed'em. At first, pups eat the mixture through a probe, and then they learn to eat a whole herring. At the final stage of rehabilitation, they live in outdoor pools, wean them from a humans and learn to take fish straight out of the water. And then they are released back to their native waters.
As a rule, the most of pups entering the Center have one diagnosis: severe exhaustion, dehydration and stress. Some of them have a cold, someone has injuries, and someone suffers from parasites. All of them are treated, restore their water balance and feed'em. At first, pups eat the mixture through a probe, and then they learn to eat a whole herring. At the final stage of rehabilitation, they live in outdoor pools, wean them from a humans and learn to take fish straight out of the water. And then they are released back to their native waters.
Baltic Ringed Seal
Included in IUCN Red List
The local subpopulation of these animals lives only in the Gulf of Finland, mainly in the Russian territorial waters. However, single animals were also observed in the Estonian and Finnish territorial waters.
The number of subpopulations is no more than 200 animals. The seals of the Gulf of Finland do not meet with ringed seals from other parts of the Baltic.
The number of subpopulations is no more than 200 animals. The seals of the Gulf of Finland do not meet with ringed seals from other parts of the Baltic.
Baltic Grey Seal
Included in IUCN Red List
Baltic gray seals migrate throughout the Baltic Sea. In the Gulf of Finland at the same time there are, as a rule, 500−700 animals. Some animals may fall into the Neva.
As the protection of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says, in total in the Baltic Sea lives about 22 thousand seals. On the territory of the Russian Federation hunting for a gray seal is prohibited.
As the protection of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says, in total in the Baltic Sea lives about 22 thousand seals. On the territory of the Russian Federation hunting for a gray seal is prohibited.
Ladoga Ringed Seal
Included in IUCN Red List
This subspecies of the ringed seal inhabits Ladoga Lake — held in the northern regions in summer, and moves to the south and southeast by winter. Some animals fall into the Neva. It is possible that they can get to the Gulf of Finland.
The population size is 5000−7000 seals. However, precise estimates of the numbers of these animals have not been carried out for a long time.
The population size is 5000−7000 seals. However, precise estimates of the numbers of these animals have not been carried out for a long time.
"CENTER OF RESEARCHING AND MAINTENANCING OF MARINE MAMMALS" IN REPINO IS A SPECIALIZED PLATFORM, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE ANY ANALOGUES IN RUSSIA. IT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE VETERINARY CARE TO MARINE MAMMALS IN BALTIC REGION.
About our Center
What do we have now?
1. Quarantine block. There is a diagnostic laboratory equipped with all the necessary equipment, two feed rooms, two observation rooms, and also isolated boxes with the heating possibility for the individual containing of animals. Conventionally, the quarantine block is divided into two parts, so that animals from different reservoirs — the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga Lake — are completely separated from each other.
2. Physical training block. These are quite spacious pools where animals are kept together. However, this block is also divided into two parts — the Baltic and Ladoga. Here, the already sealed seals and gray seals get used to cold water and learn to swim again.
3. Adaptation area. It consists of four open-air pools, the marine mammals at the final stage of rehabilitation will be contained there. And here the animals will learn to take fish out of the water and completely wean from the humans before being released into wild nature.
Besides, in the"Center of Researching and Maintenancing of marine mammals" there is a research base for specialists involved in the preservation of the Baltic seal population. There is a possibility of conducting educational activities: the center is equipped with a modern media class.
3. Adaptation area. It consists of four open-air pools, the marine mammals at the final stage of rehabilitation will be contained there. And here the animals will learn to take fish out of the water and completely wean from the humans before being released into wild nature.
Besides, in the"Center of Researching and Maintenancing of marine mammals" there is a research base for specialists involved in the preservation of the Baltic seal population. There is a possibility of conducting educational activities: the center is equipped with a modern media class.
So, meet the founders of our Center: St. Petersburg's zoologists Vyacheslav Alekseev and Elena Andrievskaya, who personally lead each patient throuth the entire path of rehabilitation, and also the most famous seal in Russia called Kroshik (really little one)