'Enthusiastic volunteers' wanted to live on remote Manx island to count seals for annual survey

A wildlife trust is calling for volunteers to live on a remote island and count seals for its annual survey.

The volunteers will temporarily relocate to the Calf of Man, off the south coast of the Isle of Man, for nine weeks to conduct the yearly seal survey to get a better understanding of the seal population.

Manx Wildlife Trust say it needs two "enthusiastic volunteers" to conduct the 11-week survey, which includes two weeks to complete a data analysis of the findings.

Applications are now open, with tasks including daily visits to pupping sites to count the number of births and photographing each adult seal, as well as each pup with its mother, to compare their images with an ID catalogue.

The volunteers, who will be provided with accommodation on the Island, will also be responsible for recording the developmental stage of the seal pup and monitoring their mortality rate.

Dr Lara Howe, marine officer at Manx Wildlife Trust, said: “The Isle of Man is a jewel in the Irish sea for wildlife, whether that be marine or terrestrial.

“With its small size, it allows you to visit plenty of great locations and habitats and see a huge variety of species without traveling miles to do so.”

With its location in the gulf stream, the Isle of Man attracts a variety of marine life, including hundreds of seals, porpoises, whales and dolphins, as well as basking sharks, which can be seen from mid-May to the end of August.

The Manx shores and its surrounding islands are regarded as an ideal spot for the seal population to live, breed and raise pups.

According to the Manx Wildlife Trust, 40% of the Island is uninhabited, with 18 glens, 32 beaches and 95 miles of coastline and an abundance of marine life, birds and wildlife.

Applications for the volunteer positions, which offer a £40 weekly allowance towards food, close on 18 August, with a start date in early September.