Virginia - a hangout for pregnant seals?

Posted on May 1, 2016

In February 2016, NAVFAC Atlantic biologists were able to photograph a healthy-looking pregnant female hauled out on the rock armor at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Harbor seals arrive in Virginia in the fall and migrate north in the spring to breed and pup. Breeding occurs from May – July, and with a gestation period (length of pregnancy) of around 11 months, this seal is estimated to be at least 7 months pregnant. This haul-out count/photo identification project, funded by U.S. Fleet Forces Command, is providing valuable information and data used in Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) compliance and in developing measures to minimize potential impacts to these protected species.

Photo taken under NMFS GA Permit #19826-00, 26 Feb 2016 by Deanna Rees, NAVFAC Atlantic

For more information on this project see the project profile and associated blog post.