Marine Mammals Project - Dynamic Population in South Orkney Island and South Shetland Island

Since 1995 research on pinnipeds were focused on four main lines:
1. Bioenergetics
In collaboration with the Mammals group from the Alfred Wegener Institute,
field work is carried out on a project which aims to: (i) compare energy passed
by different mothers during lactation in relation to their mass and body
condition, and by the same females during different breeding seasons; (ii)
assess energy gained by females during the post-breeding and post-moulting
period at sea..(iii) assess energy spent by pups during fasting .

2. Population dynamics
- Annual censuses are carried out during the breeding and moulting period in
the study area.
- A long term study of branded pups is being carried out to asses the role of
year, and condition at weaning on survival.

3. Immunology
Studies of serum and milk Immunoglobulin levels are carried out in cooperation
with the Biochemistry Program directed by M.E.I. Marquez.
The main aims of these studies are:
- To investigate the passive transfer of immunity from mother to pup throughout
the lactation period.
- To investigate the development of active immunity in newborns of Southern
elephant seals .

4. Diet
The diet of different antarctic pinnipeds is investigated through stomach
lavage and scat collection to assess their localities and interannual
variations.
Diet studies of different species of pinnipeds are conducted in collaboration
with Ricardo Casaux from the Instituto Antartico Argentino and Gustavo Daneri
from the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia".