Tag-loss in southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina , at Marion Island
Rates of tag-loss are determined for Dalton Jumbo Rototags applied to the hind flippers of 4343 (2208 males, 2135 females) southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina ) pups at Marion Island over an eight year period from 1983–1990 as part of a demographic study of the species. Loss rates were the low...
| Published in: | Antarctic Science |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1997
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102097000217 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102097000217 |
| Summary: | Rates of tag-loss are determined for Dalton Jumbo Rototags applied to the hind flippers of 4343 (2208 males, 2135 females) southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina ) pups at Marion Island over an eight year period from 1983–1990 as part of a demographic study of the species. Loss rates were the lowest recorded to date for this species (range 0.0–9.1%). No significant relationship existed between age and rate of tag-loss, neither was there any sex or year related differences in age-specific tag-loss rates. The low rates of loss highlight the value of tagging as a marking technique, and allow for high levels of confidence in the reliability of the population parameters that are derived from the tagging data collected for the Marion Island population. |
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