Diversification of foraging habits among Guadalupe fur seals from their only well-established breeding colony, Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Juárez-Ruiz, Ariadna; Elorriaga-Verplancken, Fernando R.; Moreno-Sánchez, Xchel G.; Aguíniga-García, Sergio; Amador-Capitanachi, María José; Gálvez, Casandra

Diversification of foraging habits among Guadalupe fur seals from their only well-established breeding colony, Guadalupe Island, Mexico

2018

Intra-population resource partitioning is a foraging strategy that could minimize intra-specific competition. This behavior may be ecologically relevant for species in recovery like the Guadalupe fur seal Arctocephalus philippii townsendi (GFS), which was considered extinct 70–80 years ago. The present study provides, via scat and stable isotope (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C) analyses, trophic knowledge around GFSs from Guadalupe Island just prior to and the 2013 breeding season, with emphasis on inter-individual variability. A total of 107 scat samples were analyzed, and 98 neonate fur samples (proxies for adult female foraging) were isotopically assessed. The overall trophic spectrum included 12 items, with a slight increase in diversity among main prey during the second half of the breeding season. The isotopic analysis revealed three distinct groups, reflecting apparent variations in trophic position and coastal/oceanic habitat use. As in previous studies, a mostly teutophagous diet was clear; however, our work is the first to identify inter-individual prey and habitat partitioning. Based on our results and those of other studies, GFSs exhibited an opportunistic foraging strategy across the breeding season. Both analyses were complementary in terms of diversification and useful for the understanding GFS foraging strategies, which are relevant to evaluating population recovery as factors such as prey availability is suggested to be critical to this species recovery.

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