Prey capture attempts can be detected in Steller sea lions and other marine predators using accelerometers

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Viviant, Morgane, Trites, Andrew W., Rosen, David A.S., Monestiez, Pascal, Guinet, Christophe
• Other Authors: Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2010
• Subjects: Prey capture · Accelerometers · Jaw movements · Foraging activity · Pinnipeds · Steller sea lion; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Polar Biology
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00528158; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0750-y

International audience We attached accelerometers to the head and jaw of a Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) to determine whether feeding attempts in a controlled setting could be quantiWed by acceleration features characteristic of head and jaw movements. Most of the 19 experimental feeding events that occurred during the 51 dives recorded resulted in speciWc acceleration patterns that were clearly distinguishable from swimming accelerations. The diVerential acceleration between the head-mounted and jaw-mounted accelerometers detected 84% of prey captures on the vertical axis and 89% on the horizontal axis. However, the jawmounted accelerometer alone proved to be equally eVective at detecting prey capture attempts. Acceleration along the horizontal (surge)-axis appeared to be particularly eYcient in detecting prey captures, and suggests that a single accelerometer placed under the jaw of a pinniped is a promising and easily implemented means of recording prey capture attempts.