Foraging ecology of fur seals at Iles Kerguelen

• Other Authors: AADC (owner), AADC, DATA OFFICER (distributor), AADC, DATA OFFICER (custodian), AU/AADC > Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia (hasAssociationWith), Australian Antarctic Data Centre (publisher), Australian Antarctic Division (sponsor), CONNELL, DAVE J. (author), Goldsworthy, S. (originator)
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Australian Ocean Data Network
• Subjects: biota; oceans; EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES; ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MAMMALS; MAMMALS > CARNIVORES > SEALS/SEA LIONS/WALRUSES; Fur Seals; Tracking; SATELLITES; AMD/AU; CEOS; AMD; CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA; GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR; OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN > HEARD AND MCDONALD ISLANDS; INDIAN OCEAN > KERGUELEN ISLANDS; SOUTHERN OCEAN; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctic Fur Seal; Antarctic Fur Seals; Antarctica; Heard Island; Kerguelen Islands; McDonald Islands; Southern Ocean; walrus*
• Online Access: https://researchdata.edu.au/foraging-ecology-fur-iles-kerguelen/2816688

Progress Code: completed Public summary for project 2128: The aim of this study is to relate the foraging behaviour of Antarctic fur seals breeding on the Kerguelen Plateau at Iles Kerguelen and Heard Island, to the distribution of prey species at sea. Specifically this project seeks to examine the relationship between predators and prey, and how their locations at sea vary according to the position of major productive zones, such as the Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone. This project will provide important data on the relationship between predators and their prey and the developing commercial fisheries in the region. These data are central to improved conservation and management of marine resources on the Kerguelen Plateau. Variations made to the work plan The original comparative aspects of the program planned for the 1999/00 season, where fur seals from Iles Kerguelen and Heard Island were to be satellite tracked simultaneously could not be undertaken because of original 1999/00 field season to Heard Island was re-scheduled to 2000/01. Fortunately the project collaborator Dr Christophe Guinet (French CEBC-CNRS) agreed to extend the work program at Iles Kerguelen another season, and the comparative and integrated fur seal-prey-fisheries study over the Kerguelen Plateau was undertaken the following season (2000/01). Details of this study are presented in ASAC project 1251 (CI - Goldsworthy)and 1085 (CI-Robertson). Significant findings: The distribution of the foraging activity of Antarctic fur seal females was investigated at Cap Noir (49 degrees 07 S, 70 degrees 45E), Kerguelen Island in February 1998. Eleven females were fitted with a satellite transmitter and Time Depth recorder. The two sets of data were combined to locate spatially the diving activity of the seals. The fish component of the fur seal diet was determined by the occurrence of otolotihs found in 55 scats collected during the study period at the breeding colony. Oceanographic parameters were obtained simultaneously through direct sampling and ...