Skip to main content

Long-term variability in the abundance of Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella at Signy Island, South Orkneys

Polar Biology volume 33, pages 305–312 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

The number of Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella hauled out at Signy Island in the South Orkneys was monitored annually between 1977 and 2008. Over the study period seal abundance showed a tenfold increase, from a minimum of 1,643 seals in 1978 to a maximum of 21,303 in 1994. The majority of individuals observed were young adult males, likely to be migrants from South Georgia, with small numbers of female seals and only 65 pups recorded during the survey period. Variability in counts showed a similar pattern to Laurie Island, also in the South Orkneys archipelago, suggesting a similar annual immigration of seals to these two islands. The date of first seal arrival was correlated with the date of fast-ice breakout at Factory Cove, Signy Island, and years in which break out was exceptionally late (>21 December) corresponded with years of reduced seal abundance. While the presence of fast-ice during the early breeding season may currently inhibit the establishment of a major breeding population of fur seals at Signy Island, it is important that routine monitoring should continue, particularly in the light of current patterns of climate warming in the Antarctic.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

References

  • Atkinson A, Siegel V, Pakhomov E, Rothery P (2004) Long-term decline in krill stock and increase in salps within the Southern Ocean. Nature 432:100–103

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barlow KE, Boyd IL, Croxall JP, Reid K, Staniland IJ, Brierley AS (2002) Are penguins and seals in competition for Antarctic krill at South Georgia? Mar Biol 140:205–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bengtson JL, Ferm LM, Härkönen TJ, Stewart BS (1990) Abundance of Antarctic fur seals in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, during the 1986/87 austral summer. In: Kerry KR, Hempel G (eds) Antarctic ecosystems, ecological change and conservation. Springer, Berlin, pp 265–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonner WN (1968) The fur seal of South Georgia. British Antarctic Survey Scientific Reports 56. British Antarctic Survey, London

  • Bonner WN (1990) International agreements and the conservation of Antarctic systems. In: Kerry KR, Hempel G (eds) Antarctic ecosystems, ecological change and conservation. Springer, Berlin, pp 386–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonner WN, Laws RM (1964) Seals and sealing. In: Priestley R, Adie R, Robin GDQ (eds) Antarctic research. Butterworths, London, pp 163–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyd IL (1993) Pup production and distribution of breeding Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) at South Georgia. Antarct Sci 5:17–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd IL, McCafferty DJ, Reid K, Taylor R, Walker TR (1998) Dispersal of male and female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 55:845–852

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brierley AS, Watkins JL (1996) Acoustic targets at South Georgia and the South Orkney Islands during a season of krill scarcity. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 138:51–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brierley AS, Watkins JL, Goss C, Wilkinson MT, Everson I (1999) Acoustic estimates of krill density at South Georgia, 1981 to 1998. CCAMLR Sci 6:47–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlini AR, Daneri GA, Casaux R, Márquez EI (2006) Haul-out patterns of itinerant male Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) at Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands. Polar Res 25:139–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casaux R, Baroni A, Arrighetti F, Ramón A, Carlini AR (2003) Geographical variation in the diet of the Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella. Polar Biol 26:753–758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coria N, Libertelli MM, Casaux R, Darrieu C (2000) Inter-annual variation in the autumn diet of the gentoo penguin at Laurie Island, Antarctica. Waterbirds 23:511–517

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP, Rootes DM, Price RA (1981) Increases in penguin populations at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Br Antarct Surv Bull 54:47–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall JP, Reid K, Prince PA (1999) Diet, provisioning and productivity responses of marine predators to differences in availability of Antarctic krill. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 177:115–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daneri GA, Coria NR (1992) The diet of Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella, during the summer-autumn period at Mossman Peninsula, Laurie Island (South Orkneys). Polar Biol 11:565–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duck CD (1990) Annual variation in the timing of reproduction in Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella, at Bird Island, South Georgia. J Zool, Lond 222:103–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Everson I, Goss C (1991) Krill fishing activity in the Southwest Atlantic. Antarct Sci 3:351–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forcada J, Trathan PN, Reid K, Murphy EJ (2005) The effects of global climate variability in pup production of Antarctic fur seals. Ecology 86:2408–2417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forcada J, Trathan PN, Reid K, Murphy EJ, Croxall JP (2006) Contrasting population changes in sympatric penguin species in association with climate warming. Glob Change Biol 12:411–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heywood RB, Everson I, Priddle J (1985) The absence of krill from the South Georgia zone, winter 1983. Deep Sea Res 32:369–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgson DA, Johnston NM, Caulkett AP, Jones VJ (1998) Palaeolimnology of Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella populations and implications for Antarctic management. Biol Conserv 83:145–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmeyr GJG, Bester MN, Jonker FC (1997) Changes in population sizes and distribution of fur seals at Marion Island. Polar Biol 17:150–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmeyr GJG, Krafft BA, Kirkman SP, Bester MN, Lydersen C, Kovacs KM (2005) Population changes of Antarctic fur seals at Nyrøysa, Bouvetøya. Polar Biol 28:725–731

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hucke-Gaete R, Osman LP, Moreno CA, Torres D (2004) Examining natural population growth from near extinction: the case of the Antarctic fur seal at the South Shetlands, Antarctica. Polar Biol 27:304–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jabour J (2008) Successful conservation - then what? The de-listing of Arctocephalus fur seal species in Antarctica. J Int Wildl Law Policy 11:1–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kightley SPJ, Caldwell JR (1982) The first record of a fur seal birth on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Br Antarct Surv Bull 51:287–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Laws RM (1973) Population increase of fur seals at South Georgia. Polar Rec 16:856–858

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laws RM (1981) Seal surveys, South Orkney Islands, 1971 and 1974. Br Antarct Surv Bull 1981:136–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Lishman GS (1985) The food and feeding ecology of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap penguins (P. antarctica) at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. J Zool (Lond) 205:245–263

    Google Scholar 

  • Lunn NJ, Boyd IL (1991) Pupping-site fidelity of Antarctic fur seals at Bird Island, South Georgia. J Mammal 72:202–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynnes AS, Reid K, Croxall JP (2004) Diet and reproductive success of Adélie and chinstrap penguins: linking response of predators to prey population dynamics. Polar Biol 27:544–554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackintosh NA (1967) Estimates of local seal populations in the Antarctic, 1930/37. Norsk Hvalfangst 3:57–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Marr JWS (1935) The South Orkney Islands. Discov Rep 10:370–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy EJ, Clarke A, Symon C, Priddle J (1995) Temporal variation in Antarctic sea-ice: analysis of a long term fast-ice record from the South Orkney Islands. Deep-Sea Res 42:1045–1062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oritsland T (1960) Fur seals breeding in the South Orkney Islands. Norsk Hvalfangst 5:220–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Page B, Welling A, Chambellant M, Goldsworthy SD, Dorr T, van Veen R (2003) Population status and breeding season chronology of Heard Island fur seals. Polar Biol 26:219–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Pauli BD, Terhune JM (1987a) Meteorological influences on harbour seal haul-out. Aquat Mamm 13:114–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Pauli BD, Terhune JM (1987b) Tidal and temporal interaction on harbour seal haul-out patterns. Aquat Mamm 13:93–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne MR (1977) Growth of a fur seal population. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 279:67–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid K, Jessopp MJ, Barrett MS, Kawaguchi S, Siegel V, Goebel ME (2004) Widening the net: spatio-temporal variability in the krill population structure across the Scotia Sea. Deep-Sea Res 51:1275–1287

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribic CA, Ainley DG, Fraser WR (1991) Habitat selection by marine mammals in the marginal ice zone. Antarct Sci 3:181–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rombolá E, Marschoff E, Coria N (2003) Comparative study of the effects of the late pack-ice break-off on chinstrap and Adélie penguins’ diet and reproductive success at Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica. Polar Biol 26:41–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaughnessy PD, Goldsworthy SD (1990) Population size and breeding season of the Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella at Heard Island 1987/88. Mar Mamm Sci 6:292–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith RIL (1988) Destruction of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems by a rapidly increasing fur seal population. Biol Conserv 45:55–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith RIL (1997) Impact of an increasing fur seal population on Antarctic plant communities: resilience and recovery. In: Battaglia B, Valencia J, Walton DWH (eds) Antarctic communities: species, structure and survival. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 432–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith RIL, Simpson HW (1987) Early nineteenth century sealers’ refuges on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. Br Antarct Surv Bull 74:49–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Staniland IJ, Robinson SL (2008) Segregation between the sexes: Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella, foraging at South Georgia. Anim Behav 75:1581–1590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Staniland IJ, Boyd IL, Reid K (2007) An energy–distance trade-off in a central-place forager, the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella). Mar Biol 152:233–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vergani DF, Coria NR (1989) Increase in numbers of male fur seals Arctocephalus gazella during the summer autumn period at Mossman Peninsula (Laurie Island). Polar Biol 9:487–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams TD (1995) The penguins. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Woehler EJ, Croxall JP (1997) The status and trends of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds. Mar Ornithol 25:42–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Wynen LP, Goldsworthy SD, Guinet C, Bester MN, Boyd IL, Gjertz I, Hofmeyr GJG, White RWG, Slade R (2000) Postsealing genetic variation and population structure of two species of fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella and A. tropicalis). Mol Ecol 9:299–314

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all personnel at Signy Island over the years who have assisted with counting seals, and the staff of the British Antarctic Survey Archives Service for their help in tracking down various reports and information. We also thank Helen Peat for help with data management, Andy Clarke for access to the fast-ice data and Iain Staniland, Jaume Forcada, Phil Trathan and three reviewers for advice and comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. This is a contribution to the Ecosystems Programme at BAS.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    Claire M. Waluda, Susan Gregory & Michael J. Dunn

Authors
  1. Claire M. Waluda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Susan Gregory
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael J. Dunn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claire M. Waluda.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Waluda, C.M., Gregory, S. & Dunn, M.J. Long-term variability in the abundance of Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella at Signy Island, South Orkneys. Polar Biol 33, 305–312 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0706-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-009-0706-2

Keywords

  • Arctocephalus gazella
  • Haul-out pattern
  • Long-term variability
  • Migrant population
  • Fast-ice
  • South Orkney Islands