Wild-caught juvenile Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus (n = 21) were maintained in temporary captivity for up to 12 wk to investigate health, disease, nutrition and behavior. We assessed the effects of captivity on post-release dive behavior and movement of each animal using externally mounted satellite data recorders. Based on a 74.1 ± 9.6 (SE) d tag transmission period, the mean dive depth (26.2 ± 4.0 [SE] m), dive duration (1.4 ± 0.1 [SE] min), dive rate (10.1 ± 0.5 [SE] dives h 1), trip duration (10.8 ± 0.7 [SE] h), haul-out duration (11.3 ± 0.9 [SE] h) and time wet (46.9 ± 2.6 [SE]%) were within the range of previously published values. Movement (190.0 ± 31.9 [SE] km) between haul-outs and rookeries during the tracking period was also typical of juvenile Steller sea lions in Alaska. This study indicates that temporary captivity has little or no detrimental effect on dive performance or movement in the tracking period following release.
Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute-phase protein synthesized in the liver that circulates at elevated concentrations in response to tissue damage caused by inflammation, infection, and trauma. As part of a larger study, sera Hp concentrations were measured in temporarily captive (n = 21) and free-range (n = 38) western stock juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) sampled from 2003 to 2006. Baseline Hp concentration at time of capture was 133.3 +/- 17.4 mg/dl. Temporarily captive animals exhibited a 3.2-fold increase in Hp concentrations during the first 4 wk of captivity, followed by a return to entry levels by week 5. Haptoglobin levels were not influenced by age, season, or parasite load. There was a significant positive correlation between Hp concentrations and white blood cell count (P < 0.001) and globulin levels (P < 0.001) and a negative correlation to red blood cell count and hematocrit (P < 0.001 for both). There was no correlation between Hp levels and platelet count (P = 0.095) or hemoglobin (P = 0.457). Routine blubber biopsies collected under gas anesthesia did not produce a measurable Hp response. One animal with a large abscess had an Hp spike of 1,006.0 mg/dl that returned to entry levels after treatment. In conclusion, serum Hp levels correlate to the stable clinical health status observed during captivity, with moderate Hp response during capture and initial acclimation to captivity and acute response to inflammation and infection.
Identification of individual animals is important in order to evaluate age-specific survival rates, onset of sexual maturity and reproductive rates in wildlife populations. Of the various methods available to researchers, hot branding is the most effective, although somewhat controversial, tool available. The physiological effects of hot-iron branding (n = 7) were assessed using temporarily captive juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) (n = 22). Sea lions showed statistically significant increases in white blood cell count, platelet levels, globulin and haptoglobin concentration up to two weeks after branding. No significant differences were found in serum cortisol levels. The changes in health parameters we saw after branding were consistent with minor tissue trauma and indistinguishable from baseline levels after 7–8 weeks.
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