Antarctic Seals Research Methods and Techniques [Hardcover]

A comprehensive and detailed account of accepted techniques for the study of this important group of mammals.Despite its remote and seemingly rigorous environment, the Antarctic is the world's most important habitat for seals, currently supporting more seals than all other parts of the world combined. This book, arising from work by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (Group of Specialists on Seals), gives a detailed account of well-tried and, where possible, agreed methodologies, techniques, procedures and rationale for the collection and initial analysis of data on the biology and population ecology of this important group of mammals.Despite its remote and seemingly rigorous environment, the Antarctic is the world's most important habitat for seals, currently supporting more seals than all other parts of the world combined. This book, arising from work by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (Group of Specialists on Seals), gives a detailed account of well-tried and, where possible, agreed methodologies, techniques, procedures and rationale for the collection and initial analysis of data on the biology and population ecology of this important group of mammals.This book describes the methods and procedures for field studies of the population ecology of seals in order to gather basic scientific information and to assist in conservation efforts. The papers in this book make specific recommendations for estimating population sizes, for studying their behavior on land and at sea, and for immobilizing, capturing, marking, and, where necessary, humanely killing seals in order to study physiology, diet, bioenergetics, and make age determinations.Preface D. B. Siniff; Introduction R. M. Laws; 1. Identification of species R. M. Laws; 2. Estimation of population sizes A. W. Erickson, D. B. Siniff and A. J. Harwood; 3. Immobilization and capture A. W. Erickson and M. N. Bester; 4. Marking techniques and programmes A. W. Erickson, M. N. Bester and R. M. Ll“–