Wanted: volunteers to help count our fur seals. Photos: Phillip Island Nature Parks
By Lisa Gilbert
PHILLIP Island Nature Parks is calling on citizen scientists to join the 2026 SealSpotter Challenge, helping researchers identify and count seals from drone images captured during seal breeding season at Seal Rocks off Phillip Island and The Skerries near Mallacoota.
During the last SealSpotter Challenge in 2023 citizen scientists from 90 countries collectively counted 171,00 seals. Recorded population trends closely match expert scientific counts, demonstrating the important role citizen science plays in conservation research.
Phillip Island Nature Parks Senior Scientist Dr Rebecca McIntosh said the project had become an integral tool for monitoring marine ecosystem health.
PHILLIP Island Nature Parks is calling on citizen scientists to join the 2026 SealSpotter Challenge, helping researchers identify and count seals from drone images captured during seal breeding season at Seal Rocks off Phillip Island and The Skerries near Mallacoota.
During the last SealSpotter Challenge in 2023 citizen scientists from 90 countries collectively counted 171,00 seals. Recorded population trends closely match expert scientific counts, demonstrating the important role citizen science plays in conservation research.
Phillip Island Nature Parks Senior Scientist Dr Rebecca McIntosh said the project had become an integral tool for monitoring marine ecosystem health.
“What’s remarkable about SealSpotter is the sheer scale of community participation and the quality of the data being collected.
“Using drones to count the seals also minimises research effort and disturbance compared to the previous method of counting them onsite, a terrific improvement for the seals and the researchers.
“There are thousands of images to count, which is why we need the public’s help. The valuable information we gather paints a strong picture of what’s happening in our marine environment.”
“Using drones to count the seals also minimises research effort and disturbance compared to the previous method of counting them onsite, a terrific improvement for the seals and the researchers.
“There are thousands of images to count, which is why we need the public’s help. The valuable information we gather paints a strong picture of what’s happening in our marine environment.”
Australian fur seals are top predators, meaning changes in their populations can reflect broader ecosystem conditions, including food availability and ocean health.
“Seal populations can provide important clues about the health of the ecosystem more broadly, including species like little penguins,” Dr McIntosh said.
“The counts contributed by citizen scientists also help us track long-term population trends, identify any seals entangled in plastic and fishing materials and inform marine and coastal management in Victoria.”
The SealSpotter Challenge will start on World Ocean Day – Monday 8 June – and run for two weeks. Budding scientists can register at the SealSpotter portal.
“Seal populations can provide important clues about the health of the ecosystem more broadly, including species like little penguins,” Dr McIntosh said.
“The counts contributed by citizen scientists also help us track long-term population trends, identify any seals entangled in plastic and fishing materials and inform marine and coastal management in Victoria.”
The SealSpotter Challenge will start on World Ocean Day – Monday 8 June – and run for two weeks. Budding scientists can register at the SealSpotter portal.