seals on the deben

[jaydee1976]

Be aware there is quite a few seals around the woodbridge to lodders cut area of the river deben, mainly to those with dogs who let them swim a small dog was attacked yesterday by the deben yacht club..

 

[Leighb]

Be aware there is quite a few seals around the woodbridge to lodders cut area of the river deben, mainly to those with dogs who let them swim a small dog was attacked yesterday by the deben yacht club..

We did see one in the moorings at Waldringfield a week ago, not seen any further up. Interesting about the dog attack. Was the dog swimming or in the shallows?

 

[PetiteFleur]

We were followed by one in our dinghy when returning to the shore at Felixstowe Ferry, the grandchildren were quite excited! A couple of weeks ago.

 

[DavidonMersea]

was attacked yesterday by the deben yacht club..

The Deben Yacht Club can be a bit aggressive

 

[debenriver]

Back in the 1900's we often had to move them off the slipway at Whisstocks. Swans too.

Here where I sail now (Rockport, Maine) we have seals aplenty, plus dolphins, porpoises, the occasional ray, and an amazing variety of birds – Cormorants, Osprey, Gulls of various sorts, Terns, Eagles, Loons, Ducks of many sorts and so on!

Cheers -- George

 

[Marmalade]

agreed - it's not often a yacht club attacks a dog!

 

[Malish]

Deleted, crass doggie comment

 

[Stork_III]

Be thankful that Wally has gone to Ireland.

 

[jaydee1976]

We did see one in the moorings at Waldringfield a week ago, not seen any further up. Interesting about the dog attack. Was the dog swimming or in the shallows?

yes it was swimming in the shallow bit

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The business of seals and dogs works both ways. Obviously seals are carnivores, and a dog represents a convenient bit of protein if the dog is incautious enough to approach a seal. A female seal might also perceive a dog as a threat to its pup during the breeding season.

But dogs and seals can cross-infect each other - they can both carry variants of distemper in particular and no doubt other bugs in general. Of course, the vast majority of dogs are vaccinated against canine distemper, but they can be infected with phocine distemper and vice-versa.

The possibility of cross-infection between dogs and seals was one of the reasons sledge dogs were withdrawn from Antarctica in the mid 1990s; one of my immediate colleagues was on the last dog party in British Antarctic Territory, doing survey work on Alexander Island.

Keeping dogs away from seals protects both species, and is good practice.

 

[Leighb]

We saw one today just off Tide Mill quay, popped it’s head up a few times then disappeared. First time we have seen one from the flat.