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Vagrant elephant seal predation on Cape fur seal pups, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa

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Abstract

Vagrant southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are occasionally sighted along the coast of South Africa and are known to feed primarily on fish and squid. Phocid seals are not known to predate on mammals making the events described here exceptional. This note describes the successful and failed attempts of a vagrant male southern elephant seal (M. leonina) to consume Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) pups in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. Observations were made by crew and passengers aboard a commercial whale-watching vessel during November 2012. This is the first account of elephant seals eating anything other than fish, squid and penguins and suggests considerable plasticity in prey choice dictated by environmental conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ben van Uum for permission to use his photographs in this note, Ocean Safaris whale-watching company for reporting the event, and Marlon Baartman (head skipper at Ocean Safaris) for providing additional information on previous sightings of elephant seals in Plettenberg Bay.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Gwenith S. Penry & Marthán N. Bester

  2. Ocean Safaris, PO Box 2194, Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, 6600, South Africa

    Ashwynn C. Baartman

Authors
  1. Gwenith S. Penry
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  2. Ashwynn C. Baartman
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  3. Marthán N. Bester
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Correspondence to Gwenith S. Penry.

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Penry, G.S., Baartman, A.C. & Bester, M.N. Vagrant elephant seal predation on Cape fur seal pups, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. Polar Biol 36, 1381–1383 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1350-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-013-1350-4

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