- Hi, my name is Caitlin Bartlett,
I am currently a wild animal keeper here at the WCS's
New York Aquarium.
So here at the New York Aquarium,
working with the variety of species that we have here,
our job as animal keepers is to help maintain
and care for the animals here.
This work is very important because it helps us learn
and understand about the animals in our care who serve
as ambassadors for their wild counterparts.
We currently have six harbor seals that participate
in an extensive training program and Dr. Kopelman's study
helps us identify behaviors that they can demonstrate
out in the wild.
Harbor seals are a marine mammal
and they can spend 50% of their time in the water
and 50% of their time on land.
When they typically come out to rest,
socialize with other animals
or even give birth to their young.
They will typically find a nice sandy beach
or rocky island to haul out on.
When they do haul out to rest,
they'll typically take the form
of a banana pose where their head will be up in the air
and their flippers up in the air as well,
so they do make a banana like shape
and this is to help warm up their head
and flippers to help keep them out of any splashing water
that might come up around them.
Prey that harbor seals tend to search for
include menhaden, octopus and winter flounder.
Harbor seals prey tend to avoid rough or turbid waters,
so those whiskers do come in handy,
helping them find the food that they need.
Biodiversity in a harbor seal's natural environment
is very important because it gives the seals
an opportunity to search for a variety of species
to incorporate in their diet.
Wildlife surveys are very important
because they help researchers count
and identify how many different species
of various populations are living in that specific area.
Humans can be good neighbors to harbor seals,
just by keeping a safe and respectful distance from them.
Another way to be a great neighbor to harbor seals
is to just do your part in helping us protect the planet.
This includes properly disposing of your trash
and recycling, participating in beach cleanups
and helping us protect a living shoreline.