| Summary: | This project is for Phase 2 of a 3-phase project to determine reproduction, survival and depredation in Steller sea lions in the western Aleutian Islands (WAI) in relation to the eastern Gulf of Alaska (eGOA). Phase 1 proved high juvenile depredation in the eGOA through the novel use of life-long telemetry impants. In Phase 2 we will use improved Life History Transmitters (LHX-2 tags) in up to 10 pre-reproductive female western Steller sea lions from the Chiswell Island rookery (eGOA). LHX-2 tags record data throughout the host’s life, record birth events in females, and after death of the host transmit stored data via satellite. Post-mortem data will yield age at first pupping and lifetime births in females, as well as age and cause of death (predation vs. non-predation). All animals will be observed through remote video systems at Chiswell Island to determine pupping in subsequent years. Phase 2 objectives are to (1) validate LHX-2 birth detection against direct visual observations; (2) increase the eGOA sample size for animals >=3 years to enhance the statistical power of a regional comparison to the WAI; (3) facilitate the transition to remote LHX-2 tag deployments in the WAI by validating less invasive surgery enabled by smaller LHX-2 tags. The objectives of Phase 2 will be essential to enabling Phase 3. In a future Phase 3 (not requested here) we will use LHX-2 tags in the WAI to determine regional differences in survival and predation rates, birth rates and age at first reproduction. The dataset for this project is composed of one data file: NPRB-1310-final-data.csv. This dataset was generated under NPRB project 1310.
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