Exploitation of fur seals and sea lions from Australian, New Zealand and adjacent subantarctic islands during the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries

1999 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Ling
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Subantarctic Islands ◽  
Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries

Rate of passage of digesta through the alimentary tract of the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) and the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) (Carnivora : Otariidae)

1999 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Bodley ◽  
the late J. R. Mercer ◽  
M. M. Bryden
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
First Feeding ◽  
Neophoca Cinerea ◽  
Australian Sea Lion ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Initial Recovery ◽  
New Zealand Fur Seal

The inert marker titanium dioxide was added to the food of two male New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) and three Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) in Taronga Zoo, Sydney, in a series of 15 trials. The enclosures were checked constantly during daylight hours, and defaecation times and location of samples noted. Samples were collected at feeding times, at approximately 0930, 1300 and 1500 hours. During the night the animals were checked at 30-min intervals, the location of samples noted, and samples collected at the first feeding time next morning. Faecal collections were made for up to 50 h after dosing. Marker concentrations in faecal dry matter were determined and mean retention times calculated from the mean concentration-time curves. The mean time between dosing and first recovery of marker (Initial Recovery Time) was 4 h for A. forsteri and 6.5 h for N. cinerea. Mean retention time, a better index of rate of passage of digesta, was 14.6 h for A. forsteri and 14.9 h for N. cinerea. Thus, the marker concentration curves indicated a rapid rate of food transit through the gastrointestinal tract, as has been observed in several (but not all) pinniped species.

Australian fur seals establish haulout sites and a breeding colony in South Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. Shaughnessy ◽  
Jane McKenzie ◽  
Melanie L. Lancaster ◽  
Simon D. Goldsworthy ◽  
Terry E. Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Breeding Colony ◽  
Mitochondrial Dna Control Region ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Neophoca Cinerea ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Fur Seal ◽  
New Zealand Fur Seal

Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) breed on Bass Strait islands in Victoria and Tasmania. They have been recorded in South Australia (SA) for many years as non-breeding visitors and on Kangaroo Island frequently since 1988, mostly in breeding colonies of the New Zealand fur seal (A. forsteri) which is the most numerous pinniped in SA. Australian fur seals have displaced New Zealand fur seals from sections of the Cape Gantheaume colony on Kangaroo Island. North Casuarina Island produced 29 Australian fur seal pups in February 2008. Australian fur seal pups were larger than New Zealand fur seal pups in the same colony and have been identified genetically using a 263-bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region. North Casuarina Island has been an important breeding colony of New Zealand fur seals, but pup numbers there decreased since 1992–93 (contrary to trends in SA for New Zealand fur seals), while numbers of Australian fur seals there have increased. This study confirms that Australian fur seals breed in SA. The two fur seal species compete for space onshore at several sites. Australian fur seals may compete for food with endangered Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) because both are bottom feeders.

Increasing abundance of pups of the long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, over 26 breeding seasons to 2013–14

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. Shaughnessy ◽  
Simon D. Goldsworthy
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Early Nineteenth Century ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Fur Seal ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Subantarctic Islands ◽  
Direct Counting ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Context Long-nosed (or New Zealand) fur seals breed on the southern coast of Australia, in New Zealand and on its subantarctic islands. They are recovering from over-harvesting that occurred in the early nineteenth century. Aims We estimated the rate of increase of the population at two colonies on Kangaroo Island, South Australia: Cape Gantheaume and Cape du Couedic. Methods From 1988–89 to 2013–14, pup abundance was estimated using a mark–resight procedure with multiple resights in large aggregations of pups and by direct counting in small aggregations. Key results At Cape Gantheaume, pup numbers increased by a factor of 10.7 from 457 to 5333 over 26 breeding seasons and the exponential rate of increase averaged 10.0% per annum (p.a.). Between 1988–89 and 1997–98, the population increased at 17.3% p.a., after which the increase was 7.2% p.a. At Cape du Couedic, pup numbers increased by a factor of 12.8 from 295 to 4070 over 21 breeding seasons at 11.4% p.a. Between 1988–89 and 1997–98, the increase averaged 14.2% p.a., after which it was 9.6% p.a. These increases have been accompanied by expansion in sub-colonies that existed in January 1989 and establishment of several new sub-colonies. Increases are likely to continue on Kangaroo Island. Conclusions There are few examples of increasing population levels for Australian native mammals and this is one of the best documented. It demonstrates that fur seal populations can recover from uncontrolled harvesting provided breeding habitat ashore is protected. Implications Fur seals interfere with fishers, disturb farmed tuna in aquaculture pens, and prey on little penguins.

Status of Australian sea lions, Neophoca cinerea, and New Zealand fur seals, Arctocephalus forsteri, on Eyre Peninsula and the far west coast of South Australia

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Shaughnessy ◽  
T. E. Dennis ◽  
P. G. Seager
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
West Coast ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Sea Lion ◽  
The West ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Neophoca Cinerea ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Fur Seal ◽  
New Zealand Fur Seal

Two seal species breed on the west coast of South Australia, the Australian sea lion, Neophoca cinerea, and the New Zealand fur seal, Arctocephalus forsteri. Aerial surveys were conducted at intervals of ~3 months between April 1995 and June 1997 to determine the breeding status of sea lions and timing of pupping seasons. Ground surveys between October 1994 and April 2004 aimed at counting sea lions and fur seals, particularly pups. In all, 27 sites were examined. Six new sea lion breeding colonies were documented, at Four Hummocks, Price, North Rocky, Dorothee, West Waldegrave and Nicolas Baudin Islands. All were found or confirmed by ground survey. Pup numbers were equivalent to 12% of the total number of pups estimated in surveys conducted from 1987 to 1992, but primarily in 1990. The sighting of brown pups on aerial surveys of Ward Island, Middle and Western Nuyts Reef supports earlier indications, based on dead pups, that they are breeding colonies. The timing of pupping seasons is not synchronous; estimates are presented for colonies between 1995 and early in 2004, with predictions to the end of 2005. The abundance estimates of sea lion pups highlight the importance of visiting a colony early in the pupping season to determine when pupping begins and ~5 months later when the maximum number of pups is expected. For the New Zealand fur seal, small numbers of pups were recorded at Dorothee, West Waldegrave and Nicolas Baudin Islands, and at Nuyts Reef. These and the previously unknown sea lion breeding colonies on the west coast of South Australia suggest that further colonies may remain to be documented. Because planning for aquaculture ventures is active in South Australia, it is important that the localities and status of sea lion and fur seal colonies be established unequivocally to ensure that the need for Prohibited Area status for islands with breeding colonies and for Marine Protected Areas around them is noted.

Taxonomy and biogeography of the Pleistocene New Zealand sea lionNeophoca palatina(Carnivora: Otariidae)

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Churchill ◽  
Robert W. Boessenecker
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
The North ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Phylogenetic Affinities ◽  
Mammal Faunas

AbstractThe Otariidae (fur seals and sea lions) are an important and highly visible component of Southern Hemisphere marine mammal faunas. However, fossil material of Southern Hemisphere otariids is comparatively rare and often fragmentary. One exception is the Pleistocene sea lionNeophoca palatinaKing, 1983a, which is known from a nearly complete skull from the North Island of New Zealand. However, the phylogenetic affinities of this taxon are poorly known, and comparisons with other taxa have been limited. We provide an extensive redescription ofNeophoca palatinaand diagnose this taxon using a morphometric approach. Twenty measurements of the skull were collected forN. palatina, as well as for all extant Australasian otariids and several fossilNeophoca cinereaPerón, 1816. Using principal component analysis, we were able to segregate taxa by genus, andN. palatinawas found to cluster withNeophocaaccording to overall size of the skull as well as increased width of the intertemporal constriction and interorbital region.N. palatinacan be distinguished from all other Australasian otariids by its unusually broad basisphenoid. Discriminant function analysis supported referral ofNeophoca palatinatoNeophocawith very high posterior probability. These results confirm the treatment ofNeophoca palatinaas a distinct species ofNeophocaand highlight the former broad distribution and greater tolerance for colder temperatures of this genus. These results also suggest that New Zealand may have played a pivotal role in the diversification of Southern Hemisphere otariid seals.

Diet of New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) at the Auckland Islands

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Childerhouse ◽  
Bruce Dix ◽  
Nick Gales
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Tidal Zone ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Small Overlap ◽  
Prey Items ◽  
Phocarctos Hookeri

Scat and regurgitate samples (n = 206) from New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) were collected at the Auckland Islands between December 1994 and February 1997. Most (82%) samples were collected during three summer seasons while the remainder (18%) were collected during a single winter season. Thirty-three taxa were identified from 3523 prey items. The six most abundant prey species accounted for 90% of all prey items. The two most numerically abundant prey species, octopus (Enteroctopus zelandicus) and opalfish (Hemerocoetes species) made up almost 50% of total prey items. Other important prey species included lobster krill (Munida gregaria), hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae), oblique-banded rattail (Coelorhynchus aspercephalus), and salps (Pyrosoma atlanticum). New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) and seabirds were also identified in samples. New Zealand sea lions are generalist feeders utilising a wide variety of prey items, with fish comprising the most common taxa (59%) numerically and both cephalopods (21%) and crustacea (15%) forming lesser, but still important, parts of the diet. Prey taxa identified indicate that New Zealand sea lions are utilising a wide variety of benthic, demersal and pelagic species ranging from the inter-tidal zone to waters deeper than 300 m. New Zealand sea lions at the Auckland Islands target different prey species to New Zealand sea lions at other locations although they have broadly consistent prey types, with fish as the major taxa. There is only a small overlap of New Zealand sea lion prey species with commercially targeted species on the Auckland Islands Shelf in the months sampled.

Impact Of Colonial Sealing On Seal Stocks Around Australia, New Zealand And Subantarctic Islands Between 150 And 170 Degrees East

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
JK Ling
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Fur Seal ◽  
Seal Oil ◽  
The Impact

Details of southern elephant seal oil and fur seal and sea lion skin cargoes have been extracted from a large number of secondary sources dealing with Australian and New Zealand maritime history, which in turn referred to numerous primary sources of information. The data were collated and analysed for ten areas in the south-west Pacific region and published recently in two separate larger works. This review is a synthesis and analysis of the impact of the colonial sealing industry on seal stocks in the region, based on those papers, with some minor revisions and reference to works by other authors. Colonial sealing lasted from the late 18th to the mid- 19th century and was followed by sporadic hunting until the late 1940s. Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) were hunted for their oil; and Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri), Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) and New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) were targeted for their skins and some oil. At least 1,081 tons of elephant seal oil were shipped from King Is. between 1802 and 1819, while 8,380 tons were shipped from Macquarie Is. between 1810 and 1919. More than 1.4 million skins of both species of fur seals were harvested between 1792 and 1949, but only 4,000 Neophoca and 5,700 Phocarctos pelts are recorded as having been shipped by 1840. The Antipodes Islands yielded more than a quarter of the total fur seal skin harvest, and New Zealand and southern Australia each delivered a quarter of the total. Current numbers of the two species of fur seals combined are about a tenth of the crudely estimated size (1.5 million) of the original population. The exploited fur seals and sea lions were probably the same species as occur today at the original sealing localities, apart from Macquarie Is. where the identity of the exploited fur seals remains in doubt. There is some evidence that Maoris and Australian Aborigines hunted seals in pre-European times, resulting in reduced ranges and depleted stocks that were exploited later by colonial sealers.

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