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Alloparenting in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus): correlations with misdirected care and other observations

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Abstract

Alloparental care is rarely observed in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) where maternal care is extended to a single pup for up to 1 year or more. However, we observed 28 allonursing events and one case of adoption at a small breeding rookery in the western Gulf of Alaska between the years 2001 and 2005. Multiparous and primiparous females were observed nursing nonfilial individuals with equal frequency, but primiparous females spent significantly more time nursing nonfilial individuals. Multiparous females allowed allonursing only while sleeping and unaware while most primiparous females were aware that they were allonursing. These results are consistent with the misdirected-care hypothesis suggesting that primiparous (presumably younger) females nurse nonfilial pups due to inexperience, whereas multiparous (presumably older) females are victims of milk stealing during times of inattentiveness. Nonfilial pups were aggressively tossed most often during the pupping season and only by multiparous females, while allonursing events occurred more frequently after the pupping season. Starveling pups were not cared for by any female, but two were attended by a single bull during separate autumn seasons.

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Acknowledgments

The Chiswell Island group is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The placement of equipment and research conducted on refuge land was done under a special use permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and under NMFS permits No. 782-1532-00 and 881-1668-00 issued under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Many thanks to the hard work of several interns and technicians who spent numerous hours watching sea lions on TV, most notably M. Fowler, E. Teate, and C. Gunther-Murphy. D. Zatz and the SWS Co. are greatly appreciated for their development of a reliable method for viewing sea lions without disturbance. We also thank M. Pendergast, C. Arnold, and K. Sieminski for providing invaluable technical support. D. Calkins, ASLC Steller sea lion research program manager, provided support and guidance for this research. This manuscript was greatly improved thanks to suggestions from Dr. A. Trites and an anonymous reviewer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alaska SeaLife Center, 301 Railway Avenue, PO Box 1329, Seward, AK, 99664, USA

    John M. Maniscalco, Karin R. Harris, Shannon Atkinson & Pamela Parker

  2. School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 7220, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA

    Shannon Atkinson

Authors
  1. John M. Maniscalco
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  2. Karin R. Harris
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  3. Shannon Atkinson
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  4. Pamela Parker
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Correspondence to John M. Maniscalco.

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Maniscalco, J.M., Harris, K.R., Atkinson, S. et al. Alloparenting in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus): correlations with misdirected care and other observations. J Ethol 25, 125–131 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-006-0001-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-006-0001-4

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