How seal studies could help humans become better mums

Observation of mothering seals by scientists at the University of St Andrews has shed new light into the mother-child bond.

A new study by Dr Kelly Robinson has found that the hormone oxytocin plays an important role in keeping seal mothers and pups physically close following birth.

Dr Robinson says that the findings could help us understand the differences in maternal behaviour in humans, as well as seals.

The researcher, who studied grey seal breeding colonies on the island of North Rona, discovered the higher the levels of oxytocin in a mothering seal, the closer she stayed to her new pups.

Oxytocin, which is found in all mammalian mothers, has already been linked to a strong mother-child bond in humans.

Dr Robinson, a research fellow at the university’s Sea Mammal Research Unit said: “Mother-pup separation often results in starvation. Preventing separations within a busy breeding colony is crucial for infant survival.

“The link between oxytocin and maternal behaviour not only has important consequences for pup survival in grey seals, but helps us understand why some individuals, including humans, are better mothers than others.”

During the two year study, Dr Robinson recorded the maternal care behaviour that grey seals showed towards their pups during the rearing period.

Blood samples collected from these mothers showed that those which kept closest to their pups had the highest oxytocin concentrations.

As the amount of oxytocin in a mother’s blood decreased, the distance they were from their pup increased.