scholarly journals Stable isotopes reveal the trophic position and mesopelagic fish diet of female southern elephant seals breeding on the Kerguelen Islands

2008 ◽  
Vol 370 ◽  
pp. 239-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Cherel ◽  
S Ducatez ◽  
C Fontaine ◽  
P Richard ◽  
C Guinet
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Trophic Position ◽  
Mesopelagic Fish ◽  
Fish Diet ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

scholarly journals Decadal changes in blood δ 13 C values, at-sea distribution, and weaning mass of southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1933) ◽  
pp. 20201544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Mestre ◽  
Matthieu Authier ◽  
Yves Cherel ◽  
Rob Harcourt ◽  
Clive R. McMahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Strategy ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Ecological Change ◽  
Foraging Habitat ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Foraging Performance ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Foraging Environment

Changes in the foraging environment and at-sea distribution of southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands were investigated over a decade (2004–2018) using tracking, weaning mass, and blood δ 13 C values. Females showed either a sub-Antarctic or an Antarctic foraging strategy, and no significant shift in their at-sea distribution was detected between 2004 and 2017. The proportion of females foraging in sub-Antarctic versus Antarctic habitats did not change over the 2006–2018 period. Pup weaning mass varied according to the foraging habitat of their mothers. The weaning mass of sub-Antarctic foraging mothers' pups decreased by 11.7 kg over the study period, but they were on average 5.8 kg heavier than pups from Antarctic foraging mothers. Pup blood δ 13 C values decreased by 1.1‰ over the study period regardless of their sex and the presumed foraging habitat of their mothers. Together, these results suggest an ecological change is occurring within the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean with possible consequences on the foraging performance of southern elephant seals. We hypothesize that this shift in δ 13 C is related to a change in primary production and/or in the composition of phytoplankton communities, but this requires further multidisciplinary investigations.

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.

Shift in foraging grounds and diet broadening during ontogeny in southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands

2012 ◽  
Vol 160 (4) ◽  
pp. 977-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien Chaigne ◽  
Matthieu Authier ◽  
Pierre Richard ◽  
Yves Cherel ◽  
Christophe Guinet
Keyword(s):  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

scholarly journals Diet of juvenile southern elephant seals reappraised by stable isotopes in whiskers

2011 ◽  
Vol 424 ◽  
pp. 247-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Newland ◽  
IC Field ◽  
Y Cherel ◽  
C Guinet ◽  
CJA Bradshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

scholarly journals Southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands confronted by Antarctic Sea ice. Changes in movements and in diving behaviour

2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 343-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Bailleul ◽  
Jean-Benoıˆt Charrassin ◽  
Robert Ezraty ◽  
Fanny Girard-Ardhuin ◽  
Clive R. McMahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Diving Behaviour ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
Antarctic Sea Ice ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

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.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document