Please post the following to MARMAM The following article has just been published: Pearson, H. C. and Davis, R. W. 2005. Behavior of territorial male sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Aquatic Mammals 31(2):226-233.
Photo-identification and focal animal sampling were used to examine the daytime behavior of territorial male sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in Simpson Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska during the summer (June to August) of 2003. The average number of otters (all age classes of males and females) in the study area was 121 ± 12.1 SD (n = 5 surveys). The bout duration of six behaviors (resting, grooming, foraging, interacting with other otters, swimming at the surface, patrolling), time budgets, and interactions with females were determined for territorial males. Ten males were observed during 183 focal follows (i.e., observation periods) representing 92 h of observation. More time was spent foraging (30%) than any other activity, and foraging bouts were longer than all other activities. Males interacted with females with pups (59%) and single females (41%). Two out of three consortships (i.e., mating associations lasting ca. three days) were formed with single females. Sixty-seven percent of interactions between territorial males were aggressive and were longer than one min. Reprints available upon request to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Heidi Pearson, PhD student Marine Mammal Research Program Texas A&M University 4700 Avenue U, Building 303 Galveston, TX 77551 _______________________________________________ MARMAM mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
