The animals in Australia have been fitted with cameras and trackers to capture unprecedented footage of their marine hunting grounds
Camera-carrying sea lions have been recruited by conservationists to help map uncharted Australian waters.
PhD student Nathan Angelakis from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) attached cameras and GPS loggers to Australian sea lions from colonies in Olive Island and Seal Bay.
The animals can access out-of-reach habitats and cover larger areas more quickly than traditional survey vessels, offering a unique insight into marine environments from the perspective of an ocean predator.
“The sea lions explored unmapped areas of the ocean, found new reefs, and revealed amazing diverse habitats on the seafloor,” said Angelakis.
“This information will be crucial for conserving and managing their populations into the future. Habitats and areas that are valuable to Australian sea lions may also be important to other key marine species as well.”
Australian sea lion populations have dwindled by 60% over the past 40 years.
A sea lion mother and pup. The project will give a unique insight into marine environments from a predator’s perspective
Angelakis used lightweight cameras glued to neoprene wetsuit material, which in turn was glued to the fur of female sea lions. The cameras were removed after between two and six days at sea, when the females returned to feed their pups.
Analysis of the captured footage revealed preferred hunting methods and locations, and even individuals’ tastes: some preferred a meal of cod, for example, while others favoured cuttlefish.
The sea lions explored unmapped areas of the ocean, found new reefs, and revealed amazing diverse habitats on the seafloor
Favoured habitats include lush kelp reefs, dense sponge gardens and bare, sandy plains. The data gleaned from the project will be used by SARDI to inform conservation efforts and marine reserve management.
Angelakis said: “Improving our understanding of how seafloor habitats function, and how human activity may change them, will be crucial if we are to protect these vital ecosystems in the future.”
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8
sea lion assistants recruited
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1,935
sea lion dives performed
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89
hours of video captured across 560km
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5,000
sq km of habitat mapped
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