It is a golden age for animal movement studies and so an opportune time to assess priorities for future work. We assembled 40 experts to identify key questions in this field, focussing on marine megafauna, which include a broad range of birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish. Research on these taxa...
Two novel research approaches were developed to facilitate controlled access to, and long-term monitoring of, juvenile Steller sea lions for periods longer than typically afforded by traditional fieldwork. The Transient Juvenile Steller sea lion Project at the Alaska SeaLife Center facilitated nutritional, physiological, and behavioral studies on the platform of...
Temperature data received post mortem in 2008–13 from 15 of 36 juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) that had been surgically implanted in 2005–11 with dual life history transmitters (LHX tags) indicated that all 15 animals died by predation. In 3 of those 15 cases, at least 1 of the...
Foraging theory predicts that animals will
adjust their foraging behavior in order to maximize net
energy intake and that trade-offs may exist that can influence
their behavior. Although substantial advances have
been made with respect to the foraging ecology of large
marine predators, there is still a limited understanding of...
Background: Pinnipeds, including many endangered and declining species, are inaccessible and
difficult to monitor for extended periods using externally attached telemetry devices that are shed
during the annual molt. Archival satellite transmitters were implanted intraperitoneally into four
rehabilitated California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and 15 wild juvenile Steller sea lions...
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...
To directly determine mortality and predation in the endangered western Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus, we deployed implanted, satellite-linked post-mortem data transmitters in 21 juveniles. Data recovered from 4 of 5 detected mortalities exhibited precipitous drops in ambient temperatures followed by immediate onset of transmissions (N = 3), or gradual...
The endangered western stock of the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) - the largest of the eared seals - has declined by 80% from population levels encountered four decades ago. Current overall trends from the Gulf of Alaska to the Aleutian Islands appear neutral with strong regional heterogeneities. A published...
The absence of a direct, long-term measure of individual Steller sea lion survival led to the development of implanted, delayed transmission satellite tags specifically for this species (Life History Transmitter, LHX). To assess possible effects of implant procedures and LHX tags, we undertook a two-stage approach to monitor: 1) immediate...