Dear Marmam community, On behalf of my co-authors I am pleased to announce the open-access publication of our paper:
"In-Water Photo Identification, Site Fidelity, and Seasonal Presence of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) in Burrows Pass, Fidalgo Island, Washington" by Ciera J. Edison *,Cindy R. Elliser and Katrina H. White https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/5/2/22?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3fNbCn2xn4KCAfu0AMQ_cL0MWMufoFV5-QuAd7dY-Fb4bZH3IlI3OujGo_aem_Aeat0qHqwZ4wFndZ_NFvpj2ghGOWoWieTDrCbcm4rfMpuuH3Pom848HEc1QUtSvitUUxSSti21ictd32-HTp-nT4 Little is known about the in-water behavior and site fidelity of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii), as most photo-identification (photo-ID) studies are typically conducted while they are hauled-out on land. We investigated in-water site fidelity rates and seasonal presence in Burrows Pass, Washington, using photographs collected during a long-term photo-ID and behavioral study from January 2015 through November 2019. There was a minimum of 161 individuals and a maximum of 286 individual harbor seals using Burrows Pass. Harbor seals were present in all seasons, with the lowest sighting rates during summer. Individuals were more likely to be sighted/re-sighted in fall and spring. There was large variations in the level and seasonality of site fidelity among individuals. The majority of seals (69.62%) were seen only once, but 22.69% showed low to moderate site fidelity (2–5 sightings) and 7.69% showed strong site fidelity (≥6 sightings) over seasons and across years. These seasonal variations were likely due to foraging, life history, and individual behavioral variabilities. Studies like this provide necessary information about harbor seal in-water site fidelity and behavior, which are less well known but vitally important in harbor seal management and conservation. Please reach out to ciera.edi...@pacmam.org with any questions! Best, Cindy Elliser Cindy Elliser, PhD Research Director Pacific Mammal Research www.pacmam.org 360-202-2860
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