How seals are revolutionising oceanography
Xavier Hoenner
A 350kg female Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) is resting on the ice after our team fitted her with a satellite tag. Miniaturised on-board sensors record and relay her position, diving behaviour, and temperature and salinity data from the surface down to 600m for up to a year. Scientists can thus monitor climate change and the health of Antarctic ecosystems. The tag doesn’t affect animal behaviour and falls off at the next moult. I took this photograph near Dumont D’Urville station (French Antarctic Land), which is reached by leaving Hobart with the icebreaker L’Astrolabe, a voyage that typically takes five days.
BEAKER STREET SCIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE
This photograph was a finalist in Beaker Street’s annual Science Photography Prize. This highly-respected prize invites all Tasmanians to showcase the wonders of our extraordinary part of the world — which is teeming with science and scientists. Finalist images are displayed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery during Beaker Street Festival each August, with great prizes on offer for Judges’ and People’s Choice winners.
The Beaker Street Science Photography Prize would not be possible without the support of Full Gamut, Tasmania’s premier fine art printers and long-time sponsor of this competition. Many thanks also go to Pennicott Wilderness Journeys, which donates a generous prize for the People’s Choice winner.
