Sara Bogard presents "Surfacing Seals - Harbor Seals and Other Inhabitants of the Point Arena Lighthouse and Stornetta Public Lands" on Saturday, July 19, at 5 p.m. in the Fog Signal Building.
This presentation is a visual journey and stories of the Harbor Seals and other Inhabitants that reside, give birth, and migrate through the Point Arena Lighthouse/Stornetta Public Lands and areas along the Mendocino/Sonoma
Coast. Annually, Sara photographs and collects data on the Harbor Seal population, the migratory and nesting birds, and other mammals seen on her weekly surveys. This year, completes her 7th year of surveying this area.
During the Harbor Seal pupping and molting season, she observes and photographs mother and pup behavior and the survival skills pups practice during their first month of life. Each year brings new observations and awareness in this ongoing cycle. As of July 2025, her high count of Harbor Seal pups was 40 pups. Her data continues to show patterns that, over time, reveal information on how this local population is doing from year to year. Each year is different, and observations of unusual or new species and behavior are also recorded. From this data and information, patterns and cycles of birth, nesting, and migration emerge to make these bluff tops a spectacular place to view and
Connect with the natural world.
Sara is a citizen scientist and volunteers for several conservation organizations, including the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Beach Watch Program, the California Harbor Seal Monitoring and Inventory Program, the Marine Mammal Center, and the Harbor Seal Docent Program at The Sea Ranch. She does monthly and weekly surveys on beaches and bluff tops from Black Point Beach to South Manchester State Beach. Her volunteer work includes the counts of live and dead species, recording data of dead species on the beach, and taking survey photographs. Throughout the year, and during the Harbor Seal pupping and molting season from March through July, she counts the number of adults, immatures, and pups at the Point Arena Lighthouse and Stornetta Public Lands. She assesses the condition of live stranded pinnipeds in the area, and when needed performs seal rescues with other designated volunteers. She also shares information on Harbor Seals for the general public during the Harbor Seal pupping season.
Her goal is to collect this data and share her observations to promote the health and sustainability of pinniped populations in Northern California and bring public awareness to the effects of human and current environmental factors which affect these species.
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