Dispersion of a southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina to Possession Island, Namibia

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Bester, Marthan Nieuwoudt, Hofmeyr, G.J.G., Bartlett, P.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2023
• Subjects: Benguela current; Offshore islands; Foraging; Moulting; Southern Africa; Vagrancy; Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina); Possession Island; Namibia; Antarctic; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Elephant Seal; Elephant Seals; Mirounga leonina; Polar Biology; Southern Elephant Seal; Southern Elephant Seals
• Online Access: https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/88929; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03032-5

Whilst southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina inhabit the Southern Ocean, hauling out on sub-Antarctic islands, individuals are frequently encountered further north, on southern hemisphere continents. It is unknown whether these animals are merely vagrants or whether they are individuals using the extremes of their range. A single adult male, identified by characteristic scars, was sighted 37 times from 2008 to 2021 at Possession Island, Namibia. The timing of sightings indicates that this individual must have remained in African waters between at least some of its haul-outs, rather than returning to the Southern Ocean. Similar observations have been reported anecdotally for other individual adult male elephant seals on the southern African coast, whilst adult females pupping in this area are extremely rare. Although records of vagrant southern elephant seals hauling out on the southern African coast remain rare, whether they are single or repeated visits, in some instances repeated haul-outs represent dispersion to rewarding foraging areas. https://link.springer.com/journal/300 2023-03-16 hj2023 Mammal Research Institute Zoology and Entomology