Marine scientist and seal researcher Dr Rebecca McIntosh joins the Breakfasters to discuss the SealSpotter Citizen Science Project, which aims to observe Australian fur seals and their role within the greater marine ecosystem. Rebecca has been a marine scientist with the Phillip Island Nature Parks since 2013 and has researched the ecology and demography of marine predators for over 20 years. She has a strong interest in marine species conservation and is currently researching fur seals as a broader study of the ecosystem.

Running throughout June, The SealSpotter project is an initiative of the Phillip Island Nature Parks and wants everyday people to get involved. The SealSpotter Challenge has an online portal that features thousands of drone images of fur seal populations. Our job as citizen scientists, is to count the seals. The images help to monitor the population size, pup numbers and any environmental disruptions like marine plastic. If you have a computer, you can contribute to the management and protection of Australia’s oceans by counting seals in the Phillip Island Nature Parks’ online portal. No experience is required!

“Australian fur seals in Southeast Australia are the top predator for the marine ecosystem… With the top predator, if we know that it’s populations are doing well, they’re called an ecosystem sentinel, then we can make assumptions about what’s happening underneath it in the food web.”

Get involved in the SealSpotter Challenge which runs from 8-21 June here.