Population trends, diet, genetics, and observations of Steller sea lions in Glacier Bay National Park

• Main Authors: Gelatt, Tom, Trites, Andrew W., Hastings, Kelly, Jemsion, Lauri, Pitcher, Ken, O'Corry-Crowe, Greg
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: United States Geological Survey 2007
• Subjects: Sea lions > Alaska; Marine mammals > Alaska; Marine mammals > Ecology; Glacier Bay; Hastings; Lauri; glacier; Marble Island; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/upload/Gelatt_etal2007_StellerSeaLions.pdf; http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=1199309

We are using demographics, scat analysis, and genetic measurements of Steller sea lions (SSLs)to understand the factors affecting population status throughout Alaska. Steller sea lions are listed as threatened throughout Southeast Alaska including Glacier Bay National Park where they frequent at least five terrestrial sites, including a recently established rookery on Graves Rock. Breeding season counts in GBNP increased at ~6 percent/yr between 1989 and 2002. Brand resighting during 2003 revealed 16 western stock SSLs seen within the park. Survival to two months of age was 90 percent. Fifty pups were branded at Graves Rock in 2002. It is necessary to mark more animals to estimate annual survival rates of juveniles and adults. Sandlance and pollock were top prey items at Graves Rock and South Marble Island. Mitochondrial DNA analysis indicates that the Graves Rock rookery was established in part by females from the western sea lion stock (west of 144° W longitude). This manuscript was published and may be cited as: Gelatt, Tom, Andrew W. Trites, Kelly Hastings, Lauri Jemison, Ken Pitcher, and Greg O’Corry‐Crowe. (2007). Population Trends, diet, genetics, and observations of Steller sea lions in Glacier Bay National Park. In J.F. Piatt and S.M. Gende (eds.) Proceedings of the Fourth Glacier Bay Science Symposium, U.S. Geological Survey, Juneau, Alaska. It may also be available at http://www.nps.gov/glba/naturescience/upload/Gelatt_etal2007_StellerSeaLions.pdf Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #1791.