Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A rare observation of group prey processing in wild leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx)

  • Short Note
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cooperative feeding is often observed among predators with strong social bonds; however, it is unexpected in solitary predators. During 2016, several mass predation events were witnessed in St Andrews Bay and Right Whale Bay, South Georgia, where up to 36 leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) were seen feeding together at king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) colonies. Three post-mortem prey-processing events were observed where two leopard seals actively fed on the same carcass in an unusual display of tolerance for a species where anti-social behaviour is the norm. The seals were observed repeatedly tearing adult king penguins between themselves, while floating alongside each other at the surface of the water. This is the first record of co-feeding in this difficult-to-study species; however, it is expected that the behaviour is rare within the population. We propose that the high density of predators combined with the readily available prey, makes it costlier to defend a kill than it is to tolerate kleptoparasitism. It is unclear whether this behaviour shows cooperative feeding, which would likely enable more efficient prey processing: by holding the prey in their jaws, each seal provides an anchor on the prey that others can pull against to stretch and tear it.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Data availability

All data are available as Supporting Material.

References

  • Ainley D, Ballard G, Karl B, Dugger K (2005) Leopard seal predation rates at penguin colonies of different size. Antarct Sci 17:335–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balme GA, Miller JR, Pitman BR, Hunter LTB (2017) Caching reduces kleptoparisitism in a solitary, large felid. J Anim Ecol 86:634–644

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bonner N (1982) Seals and man: a study of interactions. University of Washington Press, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vree F, Gans C (1994) Feeding in tetrapods. In: Bels V, Chardon M, Vanderwalle P, Chardon M, Vanderwalle P (eds) Advances in comparative and environmental physiology, vol 18. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 93–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Erb E (1993) Some field observations on leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) at Heard Island 1992/93. Heard Island 1992 ANARE Report. K. Green. Kingston, Australian Antarctic Division, pp 48–66

  • Hamilton J (1939) The leopard seal Hydrurga leptonyx (De Blainville). Discov Rep 18:239–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiruki L, Schwartz M, Boveng P (1999) Hunting and social behaviour of leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) at Seal Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. J Zool 249:97–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hocking D, Evans A, Fitzgerald E (2013) Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) use suction and filter feeding when hunting small prey underwater. Polar Biol 36:211–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hocking D, Fitzgerald E, Salverson M, Evans A (2016) Prey capture and processing behaviours vary with prey size and shape in Australian and subantarctic fur seals. Mar Mamm Sci 32:568–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hocking D, Marx F, Park T, Fitzgerald E, Evans A (2017) A behavioural framework for the evolution of feeding in predatory aquatic mammals. Proc R Soc B-Biol Sci 284:20162750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hocking D, Marx F, Sattler R, Harris R, Pollock T, Sorrell K, Fitzgerald E, McCurry M, Evans A (2018) Clawed forelimbs allow northern seals to eat like their ancient ancestors. R Soc Open Sci 5:172393

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jourdain E, Vongraven D (2017) Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and killer whale (Orcinus orca) feeding aggregations for foraging on herring (Clupea harengus) in northern Norway. Mamm Biol 86:27–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause D, Goebel M, Marshall G, Abernathy K (2015) Novel foraging strategies observed in a growing leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) population at Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Anim Biotelem 3:24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Packer C, Ruttan L (1988) The evolution of cooperative hunting. Am Nat 13(2):159–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penny R, Lowry G (1967) Leopard seal predation of Adelie penguins. Ecology 48(5):878–882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pitman R, Durban J (2012) Cooperative hunting behaviour, prey selectivity and prey handling by pack ice killer whales (Orcinus orca), type B in Antarctic Peninsula waters. Mar Mamm Sci 28:16–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyke G, Pulliam H, Charnov E (1977) Optimal foraging: a selective review of theory and tests. Q Rev Biol 52(2):137–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers T, Bryden M (1995) Predation of adelie penguins (Pygoscellis adelilae) by leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in Prydz Bay, Antarctica. Can J Zool 73(5):1001–1004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sachs J, Mueller U, Wilcox T, Bull J (2004) The evolution of cooperation. Q R Biol 79(2):135–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoener T (1971) Theory of feeding strategies. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 2:369–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor M (1987) How tetrapods feed in water: a functional analysis by paradigm. Zool J Linn Soc 91(2):171–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Valkenburgh B (1996) Feeding behaviour in free-ranging large African carnivores. J Mammal 77(1):240–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Sophie Lanfear (Producer, Silverback Films) for continued support for this manuscript, sourcing leopard seal footage and for liaising with Silverback. This paper would not be possible without Silverback Films and the film crew’s hard work on the ground. Contact with the film crew was initially established through the British Antarctic Survey. The authors also thank Silke Cleuren, William Parker and Kathryn Pack for critically reading the drafts of this manuscript. They also thank the two reviewers and editor who greatly improved the manuscript during the peer-review process.

Funding

No funding was utilised for this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK

    James R. Robbins

  2. British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK

    James R. Robbins

  3. School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Alistair R. Evans & David P. Hocking

  4. Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Alistair R. Evans & David P. Hocking

  5. Shallow Marine Surveys Group, Stanley, Falkland Islands

    Dion Poncet

Authors
  1. James R. Robbins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dion Poncet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alistair R. Evans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David P. Hocking
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

The manuscript was devised and drafted by JR and DH. Footage was analysed by JR. Photography of solitary predation events was provided by JR. In situ behavioural observations, additional footage and accounts were provided by DP. AE provided critical feedback on the manuscript. All authors contributed to this manuscript and provided comments on drafts.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James R. Robbins.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

We declare that there are no competing interests associated with this work.

Research involving with animal rights

All observations were made under permit of the South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Government. Drone footage was obtained under Regulated Activity Permit 2016/031 by licensed pilots. Additional images were taken by JRR under Regulated Activity Permit 2015/013.

Permission to carry out fieldwork

All fieldwork and data collection were authorized by South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Government under Regulated Activity Permits 2016/031 and 2015/013.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (AVI 104,495 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Robbins, J.R., Poncet, D., Evans, A.R. et al. A rare observation of group prey processing in wild leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx). Polar Biol 42, 1625–1630 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02542-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02542-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation