New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Historical and modern distribution and abundance of the New Zealand sea lion
Phocarctos hookeri
SIMON CHILDERHOUSE
NICK GALES
Science and Research Division
Department of Conservation
P.O. Box 10 420
Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract This paper describes both the modern and the
pristine distribution, breeding range, and relative abundance of the New
Zealand sea lion (
Phocarctos hookeri). Archaeological data and
historical references were used to determine the pristine status of the sea
lion, and its present status was determined from recent scientific studies and
observations. The sea lion had a substantially more widespread distribution
before the arrival of humans in New Zealand than it does today. The species
used to range along the whole length of the coast, from the north of the North
Island through to Stewart Island and the subantarctic islands. Although we have
no direct estimate of pristine abundance, the present population size is
clearly reduced. Subsistence and commercial killing of sea lions is the most
likely cause of historical changes in distribution and abundance. Their
pristine breeding range extended at least as far north as Nelson and may have
extended to the North Island. The present breeding range is restricted to the
Auckland Islands and Campbell Island. Within the last 10 years a few
individuals have started to breed on mainland New Zealand and Stewart Island,
which may reflect a slow recolonisation of earlier breeding grounds. Pup
production at Sandy Bay, Enderby Island, has been stable for at least the last
three decades, and no major changes in pup production at Dundas Island and
Figure of Eight Island are apparent.
Keywords New Zealand sea lion; Phocarctos hookeri;
historical trends; distribution; abundance
Received 2 December 1996; accepted 10 September 1997
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1404K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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