Welfare of pinnipeds in captivity

This is a sister project to the 'Pup development' project, in that it entails using knowledge of the seals natural behaviour in the wild to assess welfare and 'well-being' of the same species in captivity. The methods of assessment being developed are similar to those in the 'Pup development' project, i.e. qualitative and quantitative analysis of behaviours in captvity compared with analysis of footage taken of the same species in the wild. The project has already started with some assessments being done at facilities in Canada and in Scotland. The aim of this project is to raise awareness generally of issues of well-being and welfare in captivity and, where appropriate, to discuss any issues or concerns arising from an assessment with the facility concerned. Eventually the results of the study will be publis hed in an academic journal and all contributors to the study will be fully acknowledged.