First documentation of leopard seal predation of South Georgia pintail duck |
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Authors: | Ewan W J Edwards Jaume Forcada Glenn T Crossin |
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Institution: | (1) British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK;(2) Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, PE28 2LS, UK; |
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Abstract: | Leopard seals are regular winter visitors to Bird Island, South Georgia, where they mostly prey on fur seals and penguins,
and to a lesser extent on Antarctic krill and fish. Leopard seals can exploit many different species, but there are no records
of predation on flying shorebirds in the wild. On 4 October 2008, an individually identified juvenile leopard seal female
was observed killing and eating a South Georgia Pintail duck. It also preyed on Antarctic fur seals and gentoo and macaroni
penguins during its 2-month temporary residency around the island. The varied diet of this seal exemplifies the generalist
prey utilization typical of its species. Long-term diet studies at Bird Island and the published record suggest that predation
on ducks is a rather exceptional finding; individual ducks are more likely to escape leopard seal attacks than penguins and
provide a far less substantial ration. This note documents the first observation of this species of duck in the diet of leopard
seals. |
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Keywords: | |
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