|
Photo, above: a seal at Great Gull Island. Matthew Male.
———
Wednesday, May 31, 6 PM
—————–
The Black Hawk is donating an exciting trip to view the many seals who live off New London. View these animals in their natural environment. It’s a fundraiser for NLMS.
Tickets make a great graduation or early Fathers’ Day gift!
The seals are actually Maine natives who make Long Island Sound their winter/spring and sometimes permanent home. On this trip, we’ll leave from Niantic and head out to Little Gull, Great Gull, and Plum Islands.
Beginning in the 1800s, hunters harvesting seals for fur and oil virtually eliminated seals in Long Island Sound. Fishermen continued to kill seals believing they were competing with them for fish. In fact, up into the 1950s Connecticut offered seal hunters a bounty. From NOAA: The Marine Mammal Protection Act was enacted in 1972 and established a national policy to prevent marine mammal species and population stocks from declining beyond the point where they ceased to be significant functioning elements of the ecosystems of which they are a part. Following new federal regulations, seals began returning to LIS in the 1970s. Today five species can be found, many now making the Sound their permanent home. They’ve been reported as far west as Greenwich!
Bring your camera and binoculars. We’ll bring a drink and snack!
It’s a 2 hour+ round-trip. Sunset’s at 8:15.
———————-
Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for NLMS members, and $25 for children ages 6 to 18 (the same prices as in 2020!).
Call 860-447-2501 with your questions or sign up online today.
|
