Studies on the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (L.). I. Introduction to the series

Carrick, Robert; Ingham, S. E.

doi:10.1071/cwr9620089

Cited by 33 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…Only three island subpopulations make up this population: Macquarie Island, Campbell Island and the Antipodes. However, 99% of the population is at Macquarie Island and as such the discussion of this population will centre on the status and change of the Macquarie Island subpopulation, which is one of the most continuously studied elephant seal populations (Carrick & Ingham, 1962; Hindell, 1991; McMahon, Burton & Bester, 2003). This population has decreased by 59% from approximately 183 000 in 1949 (Hindell & Burton, 1987) to approximately 76 000 in 2001 (Australian Antarctic Division, unpublished data).…”

Section: Population Sizes and Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population status, trends and a re‐examination of the hypotheses explaining the recent declines of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina

et al. 2005

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1. Between the 1950s and 1990s the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina underwent large decreases in population size throughout most of its breeding range in the Southern Ocean. While current population estimates suggest a recent recovery, some breeding populations have continued to decrease in recent years (Macquarie and Marion Islands), others have either remained stable (South Georgia, Kerguelen and Heard Island) or have increased (Peninsula Valdés, Argentina). 2. Intrinsic hypotheses for patterns of regional decline include factors that are affected by density-dependent mechanisms: (i) paucity of males, (ii) population 'overshoot' and (iii) pandemic disease. Extrinsic hypotheses include (iv) predation, (v) competition with fisheries concerns, (vi) interspecific competition, (vii) environmental change and (viii) human disturbance. Of the eight hypotheses proposed and examined here, we conclude that three can be discounted (i, v, viii), three are unlikely, but may require more testing (ii, iii, iv) and two are plausible (vi, vii). 3. The interspecific competition hypothesis is difficult to test because it requires the simultaneous monitoring of species that overlap directly with elephant seals, many of which have not been identified or little is known. However, an analysis of the relationship between log variance and log abundance (Taylor's power law) for populations of southern and northern elephant seals suggests that interspecific competition is not a significant factor in the decline of the southern elephant seal. 4. The hypothesis that decreases in southern elephant seal populations between the 1950s and 1990s were caused by the environmental change is the easiest to test and most plausible of the hypotheses. We propose a framework by which to test this hypothesis to determine how food availability affects individual survival.

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Section: Population Sizes and Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population status, trends and a re‐examination of the hypotheses explaining the recent declines of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina

et al. 2005

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“…Females prefer breeding near water because they periodically return to the ocean to forage while nursing, and they can minimize harassment from other males by not breeding further ashore. In elephant seals (Mirounga), females often congregate away from shorelines, and males control access to female pods through dominance status rather than territoriality (Bartholomew, 1952;Carrick, Csordas, Ingham, and Keith, 1962;Le Boeuf, Whiting, and Gantt, 1972). Males defend dominance status along extensive stretches of beach instead of establishing fixed territories because females congregate in unpredictable locations on the beach.…”

Section: Other Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolution of Mating Systems in Birds and Mammals

Wittenberger

1979

Social Behavior and Communication

154

120

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“…Northern fur seal (Bartholomew & Hoel, 1953;Peterson, 1968) and California sea lion (Peterson & Bartholomew, 1967). The only species, other than the Grey seal, in which inconsistent suckling has been definitely reported are the Southern elephant seal (Laws, 1956;Carrick, Csordas & Ingham, 1962;Bryden, 1968) and the Northern elephant seal (Klopfer & Gilbert, 1966;Fogden, 1968). All three species have a similar social system in that the cows are highly gregarious and do not feed while lactating but the pup has to put on sufficient weight to make it viable during the short lactation period.…”

Section: Consistency Of Suckling Partnershipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A bond between the mother and pup is apparently made immediately after birth when they call to each other in a distinctive highpitched voice and with the cow sniffing at the head of the pup. However, if a cow and pup get separated it is likely that the cow will not be able to re-locate the pup and the ensuing starvation is a major cause of death of pups (Carrick et al, 1962). Any separation of the cow and her pup is likely to be caused only during disturbances such as fights between bulls or cows or the influx of peripheral animals.…”

Section: Consistency Of Suckling Partnershipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mother‐young behaviour at Grey seal breeding beaches

Fogden

1971

Journal of Zoology

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A comparative study of mother‐young relations at Grey seal breeding beaches was made and results from two sites in Orkney are described to illustrate the different situations. It was found that at the minimally disturbed beach the cows consistently and exclusively suckled their own pups. To achieve this a bond is formed between the mother and pup immediately after parturition. The cow uses a combination of senses to locate and identify her pup; she recognises and responds to her pup's call, she returns to where she last suckled and she identifies the pup by smell. The pup remains on the beach where it was last suckled, it probably does not recognise its mother and does not discriminate between cows when soliciting suckling. These results are considered to be representative of completely undisturbed behaviour in the wild. At the other beach there were many examples of inconsistent suckling; these are described and attributed to disturbed conditions created by the method of study which led to a break‐down of the mother‐young bond between many of the seals present. The situation was accentuated by the topography of the beach and the density of seals present.

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Studies on the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (L.). I. Introduction to the series

Cited by 33 publications

References 0 publications

Population status, trends and a re‐examination of the hypotheses explaining the recent declines of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina

Population status, trends and a re‐examination of the hypotheses explaining the recent declines of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina

The Evolution of Mating Systems in Birds and Mammals

Mother‐young behaviour at Grey seal breeding beaches

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