New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

---

MEASUREMENTS OF TAGGED PUPS AND A POPULATION ESTIMATE OF NEW ZEALAND FUR SEALS ON TAUMAKA, OPEN BAY ISLANDS, WESTLAND

M. C. Crawley
D. L. Brown

Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract In January 1970, 309 pups of the New Zealand fur seal, Arctocephalus forsteri (Lesson, 1828), were tagged on Taumaka Island, one of the Open Bay Islands, Westland, New Zealand (43°52' S, 168°53' E). At about 6 weeks old, male pups have longer flippers and are longer and heavier than female pups. A population estimate of seals on Taumaka Island is based on a count of pups of the year, to which data from related species of fur seals were applied (incidence of pregnancy and age at first pupping from Arctocephalus pusillus, immature mortality from Callorhinus ursinus), and on the assumptions that the sex ratio and sexual mortalities are equal. There were at that time 2,000-3,000 seals, including pups, on the island.

N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 5 (3 & 4) : 389-95
Received for publication 29 March 1971

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (325K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page