CONSERVATION ISSUES - DECEMBER 2005

Seismographs are sensitive enough to pick up vibrations in the ground that we cannot consciously perceive and can pick up earthquakes even on the other side of the Earth. During the Chilean Earthquake of May 1960 for instance the whole planet rang like a gong with long-wave oscillations that had periods of up to an hour. It has now been discovered that an earthquake is also accompanied by, and preceded by periods of low-frequency vibrations that fall into the range from 7 to 14 cycles per second. These start minute before the first obvious shocks of the quake itself and provide an early warning system, and many creatures are able to respond to this. Japan is right on a fracture system, and the Japanese, who are great fish eaters, also keep Goldfish in bowls, not as pets, but to use as the miners used canaries. When the fish begin to swim about in a frantic way the owners rush out of doors in time to escape from being trapped by falling masonry  The fish could feel the low-frequency vibrations because they were living in a medium that conducts vibrations well. Some creatures that live in air are also able to pick up warning signals, for some rabbits and deer have been seen running in terror, away from the epicentre zones.  

The National Seal Sanctuary at Gweek have often warned people not to feed seals released back into the wild, and say that people do not realise how dangerous seals can be. I have met many a seal underwater, but have never found them dangerous, curious yes, but not dangerous. A St. Ives fisherman complained that rescued seals released back into the sea are causing real problems by following fishing boats and dispersing fish shoals, and yet I recently received a report from a holiday maker saying that she watched fishermen feeding fish to seals from their boats in Newquay Harbour, so who is causing the problem?

There were 7 Bottlenose Dolphin reports received during November. One was of a single dolphin which stranded in Penzance Harbour on the 8th. It had several rake mark injuries and appeared to be in a very weak condition and although assistance arrived very quickly it died before anything could be done to help it. 5 other of the 7 Bottlenose reports were probably of the same pod ranging along the north coast between Willapark near Boscastle, and St Ives and the other report was of a very playful pod of 5 or 6 off Carn Boel between The Longships and Runnelstone, on the 17th. There were 15 reported sightings of Harbour Porpoises, 7 of which were of single animals, and the largest number and the latest on the 29th November was of about 15 in Mounts Bay, where a dozen Common Dolphins were also seen. A pod of 10 to 20 Common Dolphins was also seen being very active 1Km off Marazion Beach on the 18th  The only other report of Common Dolphins was off Willapark on the 17th when a large pod of 250 or more was seen heading north east well spread out and taking about 20 minute to pass the headland. A Killer Whale was seen off Droskyn Point near Perranporth on the 2nd and a Common Seal was seen in St Ives harbour on the 9th. This was one of the first positive sightings of a Common Seal in Cornish Waters. 

Grey Seals were the greatest number of casualties washed up on Cornish Beaches during October and November, there were 16, five of which were pups spread out from Harlyn Bay on the north coast to Seaton Beach on the south. There were 8 Harbour Porpoises washed up from all around the coast from Bude to Looe . Other carcasses found were 2 Common Dolphins, 2 Striped Dolphins, 3 unidentified dolphins and a Loggerhead Turtle found at Harlyn Bay. There was also the Bottlenose Dolphins which live stranded in Penzance Harbour but soon died.

Conservation Officer Raymond Dennis

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