Animals were seen 26 times in January and three times as much in February, 26 x 3 = <<26*3=78>>78 times animals were seen in February.
In March the animals were seen 1/2 as many times as were seen in February, 78 / 2 = <<78/2=39>>39 times animals were seen in March.
If animals were seen 26 times in January + 78 times in February + 39 times in March = <<26+78+39=143>>143 times animals were seen in the first three months of the year.
#### 143