The processes governing social interactions and the resulting relationships among
members of colonially organized animals are largely unknown. Using network analytical …

Population structure and patterns of habitat use among ringed seals (Phoca hispida) are
poorly known, in part because seasonal movements have not been adequately …

Summary 1 Many far‐ranging bird and mammal species aggregate in colonies to breed, and
most individuals remain faithful to one colony. Here, we use modelling to explore the …

Detecting changes in population trends depends on the accuracy of estimated mean
population growth rates and thus the quality of input data. However, monitoring wildlife …

Gray seals were first observed breeding in the Dutch Wadden Sea in 1985, after centuries of
absence. The breeding colony there is now the largest on the European continent. We …

Summary 1 Winter survival rate in Harbour Seal pups is significantly correlated with the
autumn body mass of pups. Multi‐type mark–recapture statistics were applied to individual …

Habitat partitioning by adult and subadult ringed seals (Phoca hispida) is poorly understood.
Conclusions about displacement of subadult seals to suboptimal offshore habitat are largely …

Compliance with conservation legislation requires knowledge on the behaviour, abundance
and distribution of protected species. Seal life history is characterized by a combination of …

Identification of populations and management units is an essential step in the study of
natural systems. Still, there is limited consensus regarding how to define populations and …

Harbour seals are top predators in the North Sea and regarded as sentinels for ecosystem
health. A few hundred also occur in adjacent estuaries, such as the Elbe estuary, Germany …