On July 27th, the Great Seal Count took place when about 35 volunteers walked the coastline from Reykjaskóli to Sigríðarstaðavatn, a total of over 100 km. The count began with a lecture and ended with a barbecue for the volunteers. Since this was the 15th count in the Seal Center’s 20th anniversary year, it was a special occasion.
Unfortunately, the result this year was not what we had hoped for, as 445 seals were counted, compared to 550 in 2024 and 549 the year before. It should be noted, however, that in 2012, 422 seals were counted and in 2015, 446, so hopefully the count will show better numbers next year. This, however, is a reminder that we must closely monitor the development of seal populations around Iceland, especially in light of the fact that the Icelandic harbor seal is in endangered.