You’re not the only one tracking your steps these days—seal pups are getting in on the action too!
🐾 Off the coast of Nova Scotia, researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have strapped Fitbit-like monitors onto six baby gray seals on Sable Island to track:
✅ Heart rates 🫀
✅ Activity levels 🏊♂️
✅ Diving abilities 🌊
🦭 Baby seals only nurse for 15-20 days before they’re on their own.
⚠️ 90% of pups don’t survive their first year, likely due to food competition.
📊 Scientists hope this data will help understand survival challenges and protect the species.
“These pups go from being nursed on land to suddenly having to make a living in the ocean,” says marine biologist Michelle Shero. Their training starts early, and thanks to these monitors, we’re learning just how tough that transition really is.
What do you think—should we start tracking more wild animals like this? 🤔 Reply and let us know!
