Dive track profile, intermandibular angel sensor profile and immobilisation data of adult female Weddell seals at Drescher Inlet from expedition DRE2003 ...

• Main Authors: Liebsch, Nikolai S, Wilson, Rory P, Bornemann, Horst, Watanabe, Yuuki, Adelung, Dieter, Plötz, Joachim
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2007
• Subjects: Marine endotherm; DRE2003; Drescher Camp; Marine Mammal Tracking MMT; Ice Shelf; Larsen Ice Shelf; Riiser Larsen Ice Shelf; Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf; Weddell Sea; Weddell Seals
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.603115; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.603115

Determination of when and where animals feed and how much they consume is fundamental to understand their ecology and role in ecosystems. However, the lack of reliable data on feeding habits of wild animals, and particularly in marine endotherms, attests to the difficulty in doing this. A promising recent development proposes using a Hall sensor-magnet System - the inter-mandibular angle sensor (IMASEN) attached to animals' jaws to elucidate feeding events. We conducted trials on captive pinnipeds by feeding IMASEN-equipped animals with prey to examine the utility of this system. Most feeding events were clearly distinguishable from other jaw movements; only small prey items might not be resolved adequately. Based on the results of this study we examined feeding events from free-ranging Weddell seals fitted with IMASENs and dead-reckoners during December 2003 at Drescher Inlet (Riiser Larsen Ice Shelf, eastern Weddell Sea coast), and present data on prey capture and ingestion in relation to the ... : Supplement to: Liebsch, Nikolai S; Wilson, Rory P; Bornemann, Horst; Adelung, Dieter; Plötz, Joachim (2007): Mouthing off about fish capture: Jaw movement in pinnipeds reveal the real secrets of ingestion. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 54(3-4), 256-269 ...