Some observations of the feeding habits of a Weddell seal, and measurements of its prey,Dissostichus mawsoni, at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
- 1 June 1969
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research
- Vol. 3 (2) , 181-190
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00288330.1969.9515287
Abstract
During December 1966, observations were made on the hunting and feeding habits of an individual Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddelli Lesson) at a fishing hole in the ice above a depth of 300 m of water, near McMurdo Station. The seal appeared regularly every day, usually within 10 minutes of 1800 hours, and started feeding, sometimes for as long as 8 hours. The prey fish, once caught, was killed and eaten underwater, with the seal frequently surfacing to breathe. The fish caught varied in weight between 15 and 65 1b, and were all the same species, identified as Dissostichus mawsoni Norman. The average daily weight of the seal's catch was estimated to be about 150 lb.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Food of Weddell Seals at McMurdo Sound, AntarcticaJournal of Mammalogy, 1965
- On the Probable Identity of Macrias amissus, a Deep-Water Notothenioid Fish from the Chilean CoastIchthyology & Herpetology, 1962
- The voyage of the 'Discovery'Published by Biodiversity Heritage Library ,1905