Monitoring the behavior and multi-dimensional movements of Weddell seals using an animal-borne video and data recorder
We have developed an animal-borne video and data recorder to observe Weddell seals foraging and to reconstruct their three-dimensional movements. The video and data recorder consists of a low-light-sensitive video camera with near-infrared light-emitting diodes that is mounted on top of the seal...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston/Pisces Design/Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston
2004
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| Online Access: | https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=2488 http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00002488/ https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=2488&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1 |
| Summary: | We have developed an animal-borne video and data recorder to observe Weddell seals foraging and to reconstruct their three-dimensional movements. The video and data recorder consists of a low-light-sensitive video camera with near-infrared light-emitting diodes that is mounted on top of the seal's head to obtain close-up images of the seal's muzzle and the area in front of the animal. The main housing, which is mounted on the animal's back, contains an 8-mm video tape recorder that can record for 6 h, batteries, a microcomputer and transducers for pressure, water speed, compass bearing, and flipper stroke frequency. Sound is recorded on one audio channel of the tape recorder with a hydrophone. Using these instruments, we have recorded over 500 h of underwater video and over 1000 three-dimensional dive paths with corresponding swimming performance data from 31 adult Weddell seals. We have documented seals foraging in the water column, on the sea floor, and at the under-ice surface. Mid-water foraging included encounters with large Antarctic toothfish and smaller Antarctic silverfish. Multivariate statistical analysis of variables derived from the temporal and spatial characteristics of three-dimensional dive paths have enabled us to classify dive types and, in some cases, assign a function such as foraging. |
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