Seal swim doc studies colony
DIVER IN NORTH SEA HERD RESEARCH
When they are happy to have you lie down beside them on the sea bed, that access is a real privilege Ben Burville
DIVER Ben Burville has been getting up close with a group of grey seals off the Northumberland Coast.
Ben, who also works as a GP in Amble, has been studying the mammals’ underwater behaviour as part of his work with Newcastle University.
Through over 30 years of diving, he has integrated with the colony.
Ben said: “I think we take for granted just how intelligent they are. These are beautiful creatures who are very accepting.
“Most of the research on grey seals has been done on land. Because I have spent so long underwater with them I have been lucky enough to witness behaviour that has never been seen.
“When they are happy to have you lie down beside them on the sea bed, that access is a real privilege.”
Around 40% of the world’s grey seal population live off the British coast, and the Farne Islands is home to one of the largest colonies.
Ben’s footage shows him playing, swimming and even hugging some of the mammals. One of the clips shows a female rubbing her back along the sea bed, which has rarely been seen before. The GP, who also studies whitebeaked dolphins, has learned to interact with the herd and said he did not agree with practices such as tagging to find out more about the seals. Ben said: “I don’t believe in invasive research. I don’t believe in doing anything which would disturb them. “Over the years, the seals have taught me a lot. They’ve shown me how to reform my own diving. I’m very lucky.” The final piece of footage in the video shows a seal freeing itself from a disused fishing net. Ben said socalled “ghost fishing” was a continuing problem. At the moment, divers are not allowed to remove equipment from the sea without a licence. He said: “Fishermen lay them down with the best of intentions, but they can get moved during storms. “If a net is lost it still keeps fishing, if that makes sense. It’s an area that is being discussed at the moment whether to allow divers to lift the stuff out as it’s a long process to get the licence.”