EXPERIENCE OF SYNERGETIC USE OF VISUAL. IR AND HIGH RESOLUTION SAR AIRBORNE AND SPACEBORNE DATA FOR INVESTIGATION THE NUMBER OF POPULATION AND MIGRATION OF HARP SEALS IN THE WHITE SEA REGION

摘要

Until recently, count of adult animals on ice has been the basis for abundance assessment of harp seals in the White Sea. That was connected with some difficulties when counting pups. Harp seal pups grow and are on ice only during a short period of time. Protective coloration of seal pups is masking on ice, therefore the harp seal pupps are white. Biology of harp seals also complicates a process of pup production assessment.Extension of knowledge of harp seal ecology, new technical possibilities (aircraft, IR and UV photocameras, video-survey, more perfect navigation equipment etc.) with allowance for experience and developments of foreign investigators allow to assess abundance of harp seal polulation in the White Sea on a new methodical basis.