Citizen science and habitat modelling facilitates conservation planning for crabeater seals in the Weddell Sea

Mia Wege; Leo Salas; Michelle LaRue

doi:10.1111/ddi.13120

Citizen science and habitat modelling facilitates conservation planning for crabeater seals in the Weddell Sea

Diversity and Distributions ◽

10.1111/ddi.13120 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (10) ◽

pp. 1291-1304

Author(s):

Mia Wege ◽

Leo Salas ◽

Michelle LaRue

Keyword(s):

Citizen Science ◽

Conservation Planning ◽

Weddell Sea ◽

Habitat Modelling ◽

Crabeater Seals

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Habitat modelling of crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga) in the Weddell Sea using the multivariate approach Maxent

Polar Biology ◽

10.1007/s00300-016-2020-0 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 40 (5) ◽

pp. 961-976 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Dominik A. Nachtsheim ◽

Kerstin Jerosch ◽

Wilhelm Hagen ◽

Joachim Plötz ◽

Horst Bornemann

Keyword(s):

Weddell Sea ◽

Multivariate Approach ◽

Habitat Modelling ◽

Crabeater Seals

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New records of mummified crabeater seals on islands bordering Admiralty Sound, Weddell Sea

Antarctic Science ◽

10.1017/s0954102019000051 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 109-115

Author(s):

Javier Negrete ◽

Leopoldo H. Soibelzon ◽

Esteban Soibelzon ◽

Jorge Lusky

Keyword(s):

Open Water ◽

Weddell Sea ◽

Pack Ice ◽

Breeding Grounds ◽

Ice Conditions ◽

Crabeater Seals ◽

Ice Floes ◽

Early Breakup ◽

Natural Trap ◽

Seymour Island

AbstractNinety-six mummified crabeater seals discovered at Seymour Island (Isla Marambio) are reported. Each specimen was georeferenced, photographed and assigned to five different taphonomic states. Previous work stated that seals at Seymour Island get stranded inland around the breeding season. However, it is not clear if the species breeds in this area. The abundance of crabeater seals and the ice condition along Admiralty Sound (Estrecho Bouchard) were obtained by aerial surveys during spring (2015–17). It appears that the species uses the strait as a passage to breeding grounds. Under heavy ice conditions, the seals become stranded in the middle section of this strait and wander inland through a valley that represents the mouth of an ephemeral stream that ends at the pack ice level. This situation was observed in 2014 and 2015 when recently dead seals were found, evidencing that this natural trap is still active. Nonetheless, in 2016 and 2017, during an early breakup of Admiralty Sound, the seals that remained in the area were more numerous than in 2015 but they did not get stranded inland. This early breakup may encourage the seals to breed there in the presence of open water areas with ice floes.

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