Why Blend in when you were born to stand out? This could be the motto for species which have evolved to be aposematic. Aposematic variation is a term used to describe species which advertise their defence mechanisms to potential predators. This is usually in the form of bold colours and striking patterns making the species highly visible. It could also be a certain noise they make, protruding spikes, odour, bad taste of the organism or even a chemical deterrent. It is basically a warning sign that says, ‘stay away’. These signs, smells and characteristics of the prey make the predator weary, potentially resulting in the predator avoiding the prey altogether.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, our usual activities for Heritage Week (workshops, picnic) have been canceled. Those activities have been replaced by online events, hosted on Zoom.
Irish waters are home to two different species of seal – the grey seal, and the common seal, which is also sometimes called the harbour seal.
