But an influx of seals isn't great for everyone. Today, between 20,000 and 80,000 of the animals can be seen gathering to mate along Namibia's coastline. Successful conservation efforts have helped Cape fur seal populations recover over the years. This could very well explain what's happening in Namibia. "Foraging behaviour in kelp gulls is highly plastic ," explains Gallagher, adding that in some cases, these adaptations are a response to human impact. In many cases, once the seal was blinded, other gulls would join in as well, aiming for other soft, exposed areas like the underbelly, anus and genitals (lovely, we know). In Gallagher’s study, the shorebirds were successful in about 50 percent of their attempts at eye removal. Just look at how fast they've mastered the art of stealing from us: robbing store fronts or snatching food on the fly. When a gull stares blankly at you on the beach, beady little eyes blinking, it's hard to think of it as a particularly smart animal. "To our knowledge, this is the first record of this behaviour, suggesting that it may be unique to our study area". In fact, they've even been known to land on and consume the meat of Southern right whales when they come up for air. They are the crows of the coast, ,” says Gallagher. "When you look at what this bird is doing in other parts of the world, it’s really impressive. Because a blind seal pup won't be able to avoid predators, find its mother or learn to swim, removing the eyes is a brilliant way to ensure your meal remains there for the picking (no pun intended). "Although it may appear gruesome or evil, this is just another form of adapting in order to survive," says marine biologist Dr Austin Gallagher, who led the study. It's tough to stomach and certainly gives new meaning to the beach-going birds' Finding Nemo catchphrase ("Mine!") ,but observations like this can help us better understand how coastal birds – and all animals – react to the changing world we live in.
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