Opportunistic ship-based census of pack ice seals in eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica

The distribution, density and percentage contribution of pack ice pinnipeds during ship-board censuses in the eastern Weddell Sea in summer 2015/2016 are presented. Of the four true pack ice seal species encountered, crabeater seals predominated. Despite the low survey effort, Ross seals continued t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Bester, Marthan Nieuwoudt, Wege, Mia, Lubcker, Nico, Postma, Martin, Syndercombe, Gavin
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Springer 2018
Subjects:
Austral summer 2015/2016
Ship-board censuses
Eastern Weddell Sea
Crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga)
Ross seals (Ommatophoca rossii)
Pack ice seals
Weddell Sea
Austral
Weddell
Princess Martha Coast
Antarc*
Antarctica
Crabeater Seals
Polar Biology
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2263/66838
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-018-2401-7
Description
Summary:The distribution, density and percentage contribution of pack ice pinnipeds during ship-board censuses in the eastern Weddell Sea in summer 2015/2016 are presented. Of the four true pack ice seal species encountered, crabeater seals predominated. Despite the low survey effort, Ross seals continued to be relatively abundant in the pack ice off the Princess Martha Coast in mid-January 2016, similar to the situation here in the 1970s. Censusing of Ross seals is ideally carried out in late January/early February when the species’ haulout probability is at its maximum and the seals are gathered in the limited summer pack ice to moult. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), through the National Research Foundation (NRF) (Grant Number 93088). http://link.springer.com/journal/300 2020-01-01 hj2018 Mammal Research Institute Zoology and Entomology

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