Our Conservation and Research Team works tirelessly year-round to help us better understand the world around us through dedicated studies and research. To shine a light on our fantastic team, we spoke with Dr. Courtney Shuert, Manager, Conservation Program, about her involvement with the seal satellite tagging in Churchill.

Q: Hi Dr. Courtney! What is seal satellite tracking? 
A: The Churchill Seals program is a partnership between our team and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to better understand the behaviour of seals around Churchill and Western Hudson Bay. We travel to Churchill in the spring to capture harbour seals, which have been increasing in numbers in recent years, to understand better how far they travel, how much time they spend in rivers, and beyond. To do this, we equip a few seals a year with satellite transmitters that give us information on where they travel through GPS, with their locations transmitting periodically to orbiting satellites. We also collect health data and genetic samples that we can study in the future. These transmitters fall off each autumn with their moult, where they shed their fur for a fresh new coat annually, with no harm to the seal. 

Q: Tell us a bit about your research background and how you started working in seal tracking. 
A: I have studied seals and sea lions (more broadly referred to as pinnipeds) for the better part of 15 years across the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions in the North Pacific, Arctic, and North Atlantic Oceans. My research has sought to understand how individuals are able to handle trade-offs in behaviour, energy expenditure, and survival. Being able to observe this in a largely aquatic mammal is, however, quite challenging. As technology has developed, we’ve been able to find new ways to adapt to these questions, including the use of satellite tracking tramsitters (to track where they go and how they dive) and other wearable devices like those found in your smart watch or phone (to track how active or how stressed they are).  
 
Q: What inspired your passion for marine and Northern animals? 
A: My first trip to the Arctic was as a young undergrad student in the early 2000s on a study abroad course to Svalbard, Norway. At that time, the world was only just beginning to wake up to the looming threats posed by climate change. It was there that I met researchers who seemed to be living on the edge of human possibility, studying animals so closely adapted to their environment. That experience opened up a whole new world of study to me that I had previously learned very little about. The complexity and beauty of the Arctic took hold and I never shook it off. I have since seen the Arctic through a number of lenses, knowledge systems, knowledge holders, and species. My appreciation of the animals, people, and the beauty of the Arctic continues to grow. 

Q: Why should people care about seal satellite tracking? How does it help our understanding of the changing Arctic? 
Seal satellite tracking, or tracking in general, can reveal a lot about what the animals get up to when we can’t see them. Harbour seals, which we’ve focused much of our work lately on, are also known as Ranger Seals by northern communities and appear to be increasing in numbers locally around Churchill. Seals are regularly moving up and down the coast of Hudson Bay, with some documented use of rivers and inland lakes. However, one of the main questions we had was about how much time they spent in each, whether all seals used rivers, and if so, how and when they used them. If more seals are around and exerting pressure on freshwater fishes, would this be a concern as the Arctic continues to change? We are still analyzing the data, but so far, 22 seals we have tracked have travelled up and down several rivers, with one individual making an incredible 200 km journey up the Seal River three times, displaying very fast travel speeds.  
 
Q: Do you have a favourite memory from your time out in the field? 
A: There are too many favourite memories from the field to count. However, many of them have a common thread: quiet observation. Many days in the field require early mornings, long days, sitting still for long periods, and waiting patiently. Being able to slow down, observe the world around me, and take it all in has resulted in many special moments that have seemingly happened just for me, like hearing the subtle murmuring of ice beneath my feet or watching a seal mother take a pup for its first swim. Witnessing the secret lives of animals and being able to experience working with incredible people and knowledge holders around the world has been incredible.  
 
Q: Lastly, what would you want to say to future researchers/a younger version of yourself about the work you’re doing? 
There are so many cool skills that you can develop outside of research that can help you to be a better scientist. As a PhD student, I used my quilting skills to design and sew customized patches for attaching seal satellite tracking devices. Getting involved with Lego Robotics as a youth gave me the tools to creatively solve problems and the foundations of programming and engineering that I still use to this day. The enjoyment of creative pursuits has helped me to better communicate science and ideas to others.

In the early 2000s, Dr. Courtney was making customized patches for seal satellite tracking. (Photo credit: S. Twiss)