Alloparenting in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus): correlations with misdirected care and other observations |
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Authors: | John M. Maniscalco Karin R. Harris Shannon Atkinson Pamela Parker |
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Affiliation: | (1) Alaska SeaLife Center, 301 Railway Avenue, PO Box 1329, Seward, AK 99664, USA;(2) School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 7220, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA |
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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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Keywords: | Adoption Aggression Alloparental care Eumetopias jubatus Milk stealing Parity Pup tossing Steller sea lion |
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