Aggregation of mummified adult crabeater seals (Pinnipedia: Phocidae) in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula: age and sex structure, taphonomy and cause of death

NEGRETE, J.; SOIBELZON, L. H.; SOIBELZON, E.; MARQUEZ, M. E.; LOZA, C. M.; ACOSTA, W.; LUSKY, J.; PECORARO, M.

ANTARCTIC SCIENCE

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2015 vol. 27 p. 274 - 280

0954-1020

During austral spring of 2012 and 2013 a group of 80 mummified crabeater seals found inland near Cabo Bodman/Bodman Cape in Marambio/Seymour island was examined and necropsies were performed in order to determine the reasons of this unusual accumulation. The group can be divided into two subgroups, one lies on the Quebrada Larga stream and the second one is composed by mummified seals dispersed at the base of the cliff. Age, gender, signs of trauma, stomach and intestinal contents and evidence of viral infection were determined for 28 seals.  Around 82% of the seals examined were adult individuals (79% were females). Pregnant females and also recently born pups were found; these findings differ from most of the previous reports since mummified seals in other sites were sub adult. Given that all individuals sampled were negative for Morbillivirus we suppose that this group of seals was not affected by the mass mortality reported nearby in Prince Gustav Channel during 1955. Moreover, since most seals found inland at Quebrada Larga present empty stomach and slim blubber we concluded that they died by starvation; while those dispersed at the base of the cliff present multiple bone fractures and/or trauma as a result of falling out from Quebrada Larga.