scholarly journals Local weather and body condition influence habitat use and movements on land of molting female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina )

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 6081-6090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laureline L. Chaise ◽  
Iris Prinet ◽  
Camille Toscani ◽  
Susan L. Gallon ◽  
William Paterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Local Weather

scholarly journals Successful foraging zones of southern elephant seals from the Kerguelen Islands in relation to oceanographic conditions

2007 ◽  
Vol 362 (1487) ◽  
pp. 2169-2181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Bailleul ◽  
Jean-Benoît Charrassin ◽  
Pascal Monestiez ◽  
Fabien Roquet ◽  
Martin Biuw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Oceanographic Conditions

Southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina , undertake large-scale oceanic movements to access favourable foraging areas. Successful foraging areas of elephant seals from the Kerguelen Islands are investigated here in relation to oceanographic parameters. Movements and diving activity of the seals as well as oceanographic data were collected through a new generation of satellite relayed devices measuring and transmitting locations, pressure, temperature and salinity. For the first time, we have associated foraging behaviour, determined by high increased sinuosity in tracks, and dive density (i.e. number of dives performed per kilometre covered), and changes in body condition, determined by variations in drift rate obtained from drift dives, to identify the oceanographic conditions of successful foraging zones for this species. Two main sectors, one close to the Antarctic continent and the other along the Polar Front (PF), where both foraging activity and body condition increase, seem to be of particular interest for the seals. Within these regions, some seals tended to focus their foraging activity on zones with particular temperature signatures. Along the Antarctic continent, some seals targeted colder waters on the sea bottom during benthic dives, while at the PF the favourable zones tended to be warmer. The possible negative effect of colder waters in Antarctic on the swimming performances of potential fish or squid prey could explain the behaviour of elephant seals in these zones, while warmer waters within the PF could correspond to the optimal conditions for potential myctophid prey of elephant seals.

A comparison of techniques used to estimate body condition of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina)

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Tierney ◽  
Mark Hindell ◽  
Mary-Anne Lea ◽  
Dominic Tollit
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Tritiated Water ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
Impedance Analysis ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Comparison Of Techniques ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Condition Indices

The total body water (TBW) and body condition of 86 female southern elephant seals was estimated from tritiated water (HTO) dilution space analysis. HTO blood samples were analysed using two distillation methods (direct serum counts and evaporative freeze capture) that yielded significantly different estimates. Evaporative freeze capture is recommended for use because it is faster, cheaper, and provides a more precise TBW estimate of dilution space. Estimates of TBW were then compared with those derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and morphometric models. There were significant, positive relationships between TBW and BIA variables, but the level of accuracy was inadequate for BIA to be more useful than the other methods trialled. Morphometric models accurately estimated TBW (kg). Models developed from surface area (SA) (TBW = [SA * 82.58] – 86.94) and from a combination of mass (M), length (L), and girth (G) (TBW = [(M * 0.72) + (L * 5.49) + (G * 134.94) + 164.36)] provided the most accurate TBW estimates. In contrast, condition indices did not give accurate or reliable estimates of relative body condition.

Deep divers in even deeper seas: habitat use of male southern elephant seals from Marion Island

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 561-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Mcintyre ◽  
Horst Bornemann ◽  
Joachim Plötz ◽  
Cheryl A. Tosh ◽  
Marthán N. Bester
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Marion Island ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Fracture Zones ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Sea Floor ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Migration Strategies

AbstractWe describe the habitat use of 22 male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) satellite tagged at Marion Island between 2004 and 2008. While a few areas of increased utilization appeared to be associated with areas of shallower bathymetry (such as sea-floor ridges and fracture zones), seals in our study did not target other areas of shallow bathymetry within close proximity to Marion Island. Rather, most elephant seals foraged pelagically over very deep water where much variation was evident in diel vertical migration strategies. These strategies resulted in generally deeper and longer dives than what has been reported for male elephant seals from other colonies. No significant differences were recorded for dive durations or dive depths between adults and sub-adults. However, younger animals displayed a positive relationship between dive durations and age, as well as between dive depths and age, while these relationships became negative for older animals. Mixed model outputs suggested that seals increased their aerobic fitness as migrations progressed, enabling them to undertake longer dives. We conclude that Marion Island male elephant seals exhibit much variability in dive strategy and are seemingly capable of exploiting a range of different prey types occurring in various depth layers.

Serological screening for Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. antibodies in southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina from Elephant Island, Antarctica, in 2003 and 2004

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 161-170
Author(s):  
AM Sánchez-Sarmiento ◽  
V Ruoppolo ◽  
MMC Muelbert ◽  
JS Ferreira Neto ◽  
JL Catão-Dias
Keyword(s):  
Austral Summer ◽  
Agglutination Test ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Serological Screening ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Monitoring And Surveillance ◽  
Elephant Island

Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. antibodies were surveyed in 35 southern elephant seals (SESs) Mirounga leonina at Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands), western Antarctic peninsula, in the Austral summer of 2003 and 2004. The rose Bengal test and a commercial competitive ELISA (c-ELISA) were used to detect Brucella spp. exposure, and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) with 22 live serovars was used to determine anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies. We found evidence of Brucella spp. exposure in 3 of 35 (8.6%) SESs tested via the c-ELISA displaying high percentage inhibition (PI), similar to other studies in pinnipeds in which Brucella spp. antibodies have been determined. Two of the 3 positives were pups (PI = 70.4 and 86.6%), while the third was an adult female (PI = 48.8%). The 3 c-ELISA positive SESs were additionally tested via the serum agglutination test but were found to be negative. All individuals were negative for antibodies against 22 Leptospira spp. serovars by MAT. These results contribute to the knowledge and monitoring of zoonotic pathogens with epizootic potential in Southern Ocean pinnipeds. Given the potential impact that pathogens may have on the abundance of wild (sometimes threatened and endangered) populations, constant monitoring and surveillance are required to prevent pathogen spread, particularly under forecast climate change scenarios.

Movements of southern elephant seals

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 1485-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. McConnell ◽  
M. A. Fedak
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Average Rate ◽  
Stationary Phases ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
The Antarctic

Twelve southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) were tracked for an average of 119 days as they left their breeding or moulting beaches on the island of South Georgia between 1990 and 1994. Females travelled either eastward up to 3000 km away to the open Southern Ocean or to the continental shelf on or near the Antarctic Peninsula. Males either stayed close to South Georgia or used South Georgia as a base for shorter trips. The females all left South Georgia in a directed manner at an average rate of 79.4 km/day over at least the first 15 days. Thereafter travel was interrupted by bouts of slower travel or stationary phases. The latter were localized at sites on the continental shelf or along its edge. Three seals that were tracked over more than one season repeated their outward direction of travel and used some of the same sites in subsequent years. The magnitude of the movements makes most of the Southern Ocean potentially available to elephant seals.

A longitudinal study of senescence in a pinniped

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre A Pistorius ◽  
Marthán N Bester
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Adult Female ◽  
No Reduction ◽  
Marion Island ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Reproductive Senescence ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Female Survival ◽  
Breeding Seasons

To measure the prevalence of senescence in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina Linn.) at Marion Island, changes in adult-female survival and breeding probabilities with age were quantified. Mark–recapture data that had been collected over a 17-year period were analysed using recently developed software to obtain likelihood estimates of survival and capture probabilities. With recapture effort constant over the study period, capture probabilities during the breeding seasons were used as indices of breeding probabilities. Longevity in the population was assessed from the resighting of tagged and hence known-age individuals. Less than a 1% difference between prime-age survival and post prime age survival was found over 8 cohorts of marked females. In addition, no reduction in survival of very old individuals was detected, suggesting the absence of senescence in terms of reduced survival in southern elephant seals. No evidence of reproductive senescence in terms of reduced breeding probability with age was detected. Mortality throughout the population therefore resulted in no individuals surviving to the age where physiological decline would become a mortality agent or result in failure to breed. Five percent of female southern elephant seals survived to age 10 and 0.5% to age 17.

Growth of Southern Elephant Seals, Mirounga leonina, during their First Foraging Trip

1997 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron M. Bell ◽  
Harry R. Burton ◽  
Mark A. Hindell
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mirounga Angustirostris ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
First Year Of Life ◽  
Foraging Skills

A longitudinal study of growth of southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina, during their first foraging trip was undertaken at Macquarie Island. On average, body mass increased by 75% while foraging at sea, with individuals growing at 0.34 ± 0.12 (s.d.) kg day-1 (n = 64), and spending 182 ± 51 days (n = 64) at sea. Relatively smaller changes in body length were recorded during the same period, suggesting that growth was composed primarily of adjustments to body composition, rather than increases in gross body size. This may be in response to the functional demands of pelagic life. Body size established early in life (birth mass and departure mass) positively influenced body mass upon return from the first foraging trip. Growth rate, however, was negatively related to departure mass for females, and this is hypothesised to be related to sex differences in body composition, as well as intrasex differences in foraging skills, diving ability and food- conversion efficiency. Despite this, there was no detectable age-specific sexual dimorphism in the first year of life. Animals that were at sea longer tended to return in better body condition. Interspecific comparison suggests that southern elephant seals grow more than do northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, and this difference may be related to prey abundance and distribution.

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