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Distribution, abundance and annual cycle for fur seals (Arctocephalus spp.) on the Prince Edward Islands
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1978
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Unknown Venue
EngineeringPrince Edward IslandsPopulation EcologyMarion IslandWildlife EcologyMammalogyInterspecific Behavioral InteractionMarine BiodiversityFur SealsConservation BiologyBiodiversityAnnual CycleA. GazellaBiologyNatural SciencesEvolutionary BiologyZoogeographyMarine EcologyMarine BiologyWildlife Biology
Two species of fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis (Gray, 1872) and A. gazella (Peters, 1875) breed and appeared to hybridize on the Prince Edward Islands. There were about 7000 A. tropicalis and 200-300 A. gazella on Marion Island. In A. tropicalis parturition took place between November and February. For A. gazella birth season appeared to be 2-3 weeks in advance of that for A. tropicalis. On Marion Island over 90% of births took place on the windward west coast. There appeared to be some degree of ecological separation on land between the two species on account of different habitat preference and vocalization. The population of A. tropicalis on Marion Island increased by about 10,5% per annum between 1952 and 1975. In A. tropicalis lactation lasts about twice as long as in A. gazella and this difference, together with the present status of traditonal food resouces, is considered to be particularly significant for the differential growth rates of the two species.