Spatial Variation in Foraging Behaviour of a Marine Top Predator (Phoca vitulina) Determined by a Large-Scale Satellite Tagging Program

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 5; p. e37216
• Main Authors: Sharples, Ruth J., Moss, Simon E., Patterson, Toby A., Hammond, Philip S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 21.05.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accounting; Animal behavior; Animals; Appetitive Behavior - physiology; Aquatic ecosystems; Biology; Body size; Delphinidae; Diet; Ecological monitoring; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Fish; Food supply; Foraging behavior; Foraging habitats; Habitats; Habits; Halichoerus grypus; Harbors; Marine ecology; Marine mammals; Marking; Northern Hemisphere; Oceans; Oceans and Seas; Phoca - physiology; Physiology; Population; Satellite Communications; Spatial Behavior - physiology; Spatial distribution; Studies; Tagging; Telemetry; United Kingdom > UK; Scotland

The harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) is a widespread marine predator in Northern Hemisphere waters. British populations have been subject to rapid declines in recent years. Food supply or inter-specific competition may be implicated but basic ecological data are lacking and there are few studies of har...