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

• 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

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