Seasonal occurrence of the leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx , in the Kerguelen Islands

Five consecutive years of observations (1982–1986), mainly along the eastern coast of Kerguelen Island, indicate a seasonal presence of juvenile leopard seals, with a peak in September and October. Smaller numbers of adults are present throughout the year. The occurrence of leopard seals may be rela...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Zoology
Main Author: Borsa, Philippe
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1990
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z90-059
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z90-059
Description
Summary:Five consecutive years of observations (1982–1986), mainly along the eastern coast of Kerguelen Island, indicate a seasonal presence of juvenile leopard seals, with a peak in September and October. Smaller numbers of adults are present throughout the year. The occurrence of leopard seals may be related to the presence and period of reproduction of different penguin species (king, gentoo, rockhopper, and macaroni penguins), which are part of the seal diet.