Beneath the Antarctic sea-ice: Fine-scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behaviour and predator-prey interactions, using micro-sonar data in Terre Adélie

• Main Authors: Antoine, Adelie, Labrousse, Sara, Goulet, Pauline, Chevallay, Mathilde, Joris, Laborie, Picard, Baptiste, Guinet, Christophe, Nerini, David, Charrassin, Jean-Benoit, Heerah, Karine
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2023
• Subjects: Weddell seal; bio-logging; foraging behaviour; sonar tags; diving; predator-prey interaction; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctica; East Antarctica; Institut Polaire Français; Sea ice; Weddell Seal; Weddell Seals
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jm63xsjj0

In this study, we tried to assess: i) whether and how female Weddell seals feed (frequency, depth, duration) during lactation, ii) what is their utilization of a limited foraging area (benthic or pelagic dives) as they are spatially constrained by the presence of their pup, and iii) how can we characterize their foraging dives and the approach/catching phases using new tools providing a more detailed description of their behaviour. Sonar tags were deployed on three breeding female Weddell seals in Terre Adélie (East Antarctica) in November 2019, to study animals' movements and dives at high resolution (3D acceleration, magnetometry, time and depth and GPS location), as well as information on prey and predator-prey interactions using acoustic data. Funding provided by: Centre National d'Études Spatiales Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/04h1h0y33 Award Number: Funding provided by: BNP Paribas (France) Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/02v616z87 Award Number: Funding provided by: Groupe de recherche Ocean et Mers - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: European Commission Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/00k4n6c32 Award Number: H2020-MSCA-IF-2017 Funding provided by: Institut Polaire Français Paul Émile Victor Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/011ed2d57 Award Number: Sonar tags were deployed for a week on three breeding female Weddell seals in Terre Adélie (East Antarctica) in November 2019, to study animals' movements and dives at high resolution (3D acceleration, magnetometry, time and depth and GPS location), as well as information on prey and predator-prey interactions using acoustic data (Goulet et al. 2019). The individuals are identified respectively as #314a, #314b and #315a. The sonars tags also included 3D acceleration and magnetometry sensors providing unprecedented data to document the approach and pursuit of prey by predators. Deployment started on November 11th (2 individuals) and ...