Long distance breeding dispersal of a southern elephant seal

Reisinger, Ryan R; Bester, Marthán N

doi:10.1007/s00300-010-0830-z

Cited by 17 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Despite breeding site fidelity, cases of breeding dispersal between colonies, usually within the same sector of the Southern Ocean, have been described for both males and females (Bester 1989, Guinet et al 1992, Fabiani et al 2003, Reisinger & Bester 2010, Oosthuizen et al 2011; see the Supplement for details). In this highly polygynous species, male dispersal is of particular significance, because a male immigrant that succeeds as a harem holder contributes highly to the gene pool of the colony he joins.…”

Section: Population Genetic Structure and Immigrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A number of smaller breeding colonies also exist on other sub-Antarctic islands. Significant genetic differentiation has been found between the main colonies (Slade et al 1998, Hoelzel et al 2001), but some cases of male-mediated genetic dispersal between distant locations have been detected: from Macquarie Island to the Falkland Islands (over 8000 km; Fabiani et al 2003), and from Marion Island (south Indian Ocean) to Gough Island (South Atlantic, 3860 km; Reisinger & Bester 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic diversity in a moulting colony of southern elephant seals in comparison with breeding colonies

Bogdanowicz¹,

Pilot²,

Gajewska³

et al. 2013

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina migrate seasonally between pelagic foraging areas in the Southern Ocean and breeding and moulting sites on subantarctic islands. Here we characterized genetic diversity of the elephant seal moulting colony from King George Island (KGI), South Shetlands Archipelago, in comparison with breeding colonies described in earlier studies. Although KGI serves as a breeding site, the numbers of elephant seals are up to 3 times higher during the moulting season, suggesting post-breeding immigration from other sites, or that large numbers of individuals skip the breeding season every year. High haplotype diversity and a high percentage of shared haplotypes is consistent with the hypothesis of immigration from other South Atlantic colonies, which is also supported by satellite tracking data from earlier studies.Estimates of effective population size at both mtDNA and microsatellite loci were unexpectedly high compared with the census size of the KGI colony, suggesting that they were elevated due to the presence of immigrants. However, we detected few immigrants and no genetic structure in the KGI colony, which could result from the genetic similarity between KGI and other breeding colonies from the South Atlantic, but could also be an effect of an insufficient sampling scheme. These results show the need for genetic monitoring of southern elephant seal colonies throughout their annual cycle to better understand the range of their seasonal movements and patterns of gene flow. The southern elephant seal serves as a model to study links between spatio-temporal environmental variability, population dynamics, and individual movements, physiology and reproductive behavior. Understanding the patterns of dispersal and gene flow in this species is essential to adequately address these general questions.

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Section: Population Genetic Structure and Immigrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic diversity in a moulting colony of southern elephant seals in comparison with breeding colonies

Bogdanowicz¹,

Pilot²,

Gajewska³

et al. 2013

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Southern elephant seals are capable of travelling very long distances at sea covering hundreds to thousands of kilometres annually (e.g. Bester 1989;Jonker & Bester 1998; Tosh et al 2009;Reisinger & Bester 2010). The longest recorded movement is of a juvenile female sighted on Peter Øy Island after being branded on Macquarie Island, approximately 5200 km away, returning to Macquarie Island subsequently (Hindell & McMahon 2000).…”

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confidence: 99%

Vagrant Southern Elephant Seal and Human Disturbance in Mossel Bay, South Africa

Mertz¹,

Bester²

2011

South African Journal of Wildlife Research

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An opportunistic observational study on human disturbance of a vagrant southern elephant seal that was hauled out on a tourist beach in Mossel Bay, South Africa, is presented. Incidences of pedestrians ignoring signage and the demarcation barrier around the seal raise questions about the management of such haulout events, pubic safety and the effects of disturbance.Key words: human disturbance, Mirounga leonina, Mossel Bay, pinnipeds, southern elephant seal, tourism management, vagrant.Southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina have a circumpolar distribution in the Southern Ocean with major breeding populations close to the Antarctic Polar Front (Laws 1994). Approximately 54% of the world population breeds at South Georgia (Boyd et al. 1996) some 4750 km from South Africa (Bester 1989). The closest breeding colonies to Mossel Bay, South Africa are the Prince Edward Islands (~46°46'S, 37°51'E) 1933 km to the southeast, Bouvet (54°25'S, 3°24'E) 2697 km to the south, and Gough Island (40°20'S, 9°54'W) 2922 km to the southwest (Bester 1980(Bester , 1989Kirkman et al. 2001). Southern elephant seals are capable of travelling very long distances at sea covering hundreds to thousands of kilometres annually (e.g. Bester 1989;Jonker & Bester 1998; Tosh et al. 2009;Reisinger & Bester 2010). The longest recorded movement is of a juvenile female sighted on Peter Øy Island after being branded on Macquarie Island, approximately 5200 km away, returning to Macquarie Island subsequently (Hindell & McMahon 2000). It therefore comes as no surprise that Oosthuizen et al. (1988) reported on records of southern elephant seals on the South African coastline, and that an unconfirmed number has been recorded since then by three separate regional authorities (M. Meyer, pers. comm., November 2010 ) resulting in a need to work towards a combined dataset in South Africa. It is unclear if these records of elephant seals on the South African coastline represent true vagrants or the outer fringe of normal dispersal (Oosthuizen et al. 1988). Oosthuizen et al. (1988) also reported that a high number of sighted animals were tagged upon discovery, which would counter the likely overestimate of vagrant presence due to re-sightings of unmarked animals, although an unknown number of individuals probably go unnoticed.Occasionally, vagrant elephant seals may occupy beaches for a short period and create tremendous local interest. Recently an adult female southern elephant seal hauled out onto the popular Diaz tourist beach in Mossel Bay (34°09'32"S, 22°06'37"E) at 14:48 on 12 October 2010. The elephant seal had injuries which included a cut below the right eye (~5 cm) as well as through the left upper lip (~5 cm) and a tear on the lower abdomen (~15 cm) that did not penetrate very deeply (<5 cm). The abdominal wound was bleeding lightly on arrival on the first day, then stopped bleeding by that evening and the wounds appeared to be healing on the third day. She remained onshore for four days and was last seen at about 8:30 on 16 October.While on land, th...

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“…In 1983 the renewed mark-recapture study of the southern elephant seal population (using plastic rototags) was initiated (Bester 1988a(Bester , 1989) and expanded in 2006(de Bruyn et al 2008c) to determine population parameters after accounting for tag-loss (Wilkinson and Bester 1997, Oosthuizen et al 2010) and has been maintained without interruption to the present (de Bruyn & Bester 2010). After a preliminary attempt to satellite track elephant seals at sea in 1987/88 (Bester 1983) the subsequent use of geolocating time-depth recorders provided the first information on the at sea ranging and diving behaviour of southern elephant seals Pansegrouw 1992, Jonker andBester 1994, 6 1998) other than relying on sightings of tagged seals at sites other than at their birth site (Bester 1988a, 1989, Reisinger and Bester 2010.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2010b, McIntyre et al 2011a (Condy 1978a(Condy , 1979. In 1983 the renewed mark-recapture study of the southern elephant seal population (using plastic rototags) was initiated (Bester 1988a(Bester , 1989) and expanded in 2006 (de Bruyn et al 2008c) to determine population parameters after accounting for tag-loss 1998) other than relying on sightings of tagged seals at sites other than at their birth site (Bester 1988a, 1989, Reisinger and Bester 2010.Initially the focus was on determining the distribution, abundance and annual haulout cycle of the southern elephant seal (Condy 1978a(Condy , 1979 and to determine the population status of the fur seals Arctocephalus spp. (Condy 1978b) at the PEIs.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Marine Mammal Programme at the Prince Edward Islands: 38 years of research

Bester

Bruyn²,

Oosthuizen³

et al. 2011

African Journal of Marine Science

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The Marine Mammal Programme (MMP) conducts research on pinnipeds and killer whales at Marion Island, Prince Edward Islands, under the auspices of the Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria. The early history of the MMP is described, emphasizing the contributions in subsequent years, ending with current research. The setting up of long-term studies such as the mark-resighting of southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina was implemented in 1983. The varying fates of the three seal populations are described, with the Marion Island elephant seal population declining by 87% from 1951 to 2004, followed by a change in growth rate in 1997 and a current increase. Sympatric populations of Subantarctic fur seals Arctocephalus tropicalis and Antarctic fur seals A. gazella breed at Marion Island and the recovery (following cessation of commercial sealing) and subsequent rapid increase of these populations are documented. Insights into many aspects of elephant seal and fur seal biology, including life-history, demography, diet, growth, foraging and ranging behaviour are described.Ancillary work on morphology, genetics, anthropogenic influences and rare events are mentioned, as well as the extent of current research that addresses population dynamics in an ecosystem context, i.e. to relate survival, fecundity and foraging success to environmental conditions. Presently, the response of the populations to increased abundance is gauged and investigations into the foraging ecology, maternal provisioning and diet of both fur seal populations reflect changes in the environment. Opportunistic, land-based photographic identification of killer whales (Orcinus orca) provide baseline population size, seasonal abundance and sociality data for the Marion Island population. Recent dedicated observations are used to quantify observer effort, improve sighting rates and to further our understanding of the 3 potential impact of the killer whale population on resident pinniped populations. The MMP benefits from collaboration with leading national and international researchers. The programme has a long track record of training postgraduate students, as evidenced by the reference list to the manuscript. Their endeavours in the field and completion of postgraduate studies make them ideal candidates to contribute to marine mammal science in South Africa. October 1951-April 1952 published the first scientific papers on the seals of the island (Rand 1955(Rand , 1956(Rand , 1962, followed by Le Grange (1962) (Condy et al. 1978) was elaborated on in an opportunistic fashion (Keith et al. 2001). Throughout, personnel were also alert to seal vagrants (Kerley 1983a) or transients hauling out, sightings of cetaceans (Condy and Burger 1975, Ryan and Bester 2008, fur seal females successfully rearing twin pups Kerley 5 1983, de Bruyn et al. 2010) and extraordinary leucistic individuals (de Bruyn et al. 2007, Reisinger et al. 2009). Terrestrial feeding events by fur seals (Hofmeyr and Bester 1993, ...

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Long distance breeding dispersal of a southern elephant seal

Cited by 17 publications

References 24 publications

Genetic diversity in a moulting colony of southern elephant seals in comparison with breeding colonies

Genetic diversity in a moulting colony of southern elephant seals in comparison with breeding colonies

Vagrant Southern Elephant Seal and Human Disturbance in Mossel Bay, South Africa

The Marine Mammal Programme at the Prince Edward Islands: 38 years of research

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