Aerial surveys of Harbour Seals in the Wadden Sea in 2010: Strong increase in pups, slight increase in total number

In 2010 the coordinated aerial surveys for the harbour seal counts of the Wadden Sea were performed as usual. The counts are synchronised between the three Wadden Sea countries: Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands in order to obtain a single estimate for the size of the entire Wadden Sea population, and the number of pups born. As seals are counted when hauling out on sandbanks, counts are carried out when low tide occurs during midday.