RapportFondation 2025 V02 EN light - Flipbook - Page 67
2024 REPORT
BELGIUM
THE KEYS TO THE SENSORY UNIVERSE
of seals
AMOUNT COMMITTED TO DATE: WE CONTRIBUTE
THROUGH TIME-INVESTMENT OF OUR TEAMS.
2023 > PRESENT
As sensitive as our fingertips, pinnipeds’ whiskers, or vibrissae, are long sensory hairs that play a crucial role in
navigating and detecting prey underwater, often in dark and murky environments. Their structure, arrangement,
number and growth vary by species, influencing their functionality. For example, the undulating structure of the
harbour pinnipeds’ vibrissae is thought to cancel out most of the noise that the animal makes as it moves, enabling
it to be more accurate in tracking prey.
Katherine Todd, a PhD researcher at the University of Manchester, is studying these whiskers with the aim of deepening our understanding of the sensory ecology of pinnipeds. The knowledge gained will shed light on how these
animals interact with their habitat, and thus guide future conservation strategies. They will also pave the way for
innovations in sensory enrichment for pinnipeds in wildlife parks.
Our teams of keepers contribute to this research by measuring the vibrissae of our walruses, Steller sea lions and
fur seals on a weekly basis.
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