Mapping critical Australian sea lion habitat with animal-borne instruments (NESP MaC 2.6)

This project aimed to identify and map critical habitats for Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) to assess the ecological value of different habitats, and identify risks to their populations. Video imagery, GPS, time-depth and accelerometer/magnetometer data was captured from eight adult female Australian sea lions from Olive Island (n=4) on the western Eyre Peninsula and Seal Bay (n=4) on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Sea lions were instrumented with animal-borne cameras with integrated accelerometers/magnetometers (CATS Cam, 135 x 96 x 40 mm, 400 g) and satellite-linked GPS loggers with integrated time-depth recorders (SPLASH-10, Wildlife Computers, 100 x 65 x 32 mm, 200 g). Sea lions were sedated and anaesthetised and bio-logging instruments were glued to the pelage on the dorsal midline. Bio-logging instruments were recovered after a single foraging trip (~1-6 days).The data collected in this project provides fundamental information on critical benthic habitats for Australian sea lions, the differences in foraging behaviour of individual sea lions, and their prey preferences. This information improves our understanding of threats to sea lion populations and will support future conservation actions to recover the species.

本项目旨在识别并绘制澳大利亚海狮（Neophoca cinerea）的关键栖息地，以评估不同栖息地的生态价值，并明确其种群面临的生存风险。
研究团队从南澳大利亚州埃勒半岛西部的橄榄岛（n=4）与袋鼠岛海豹湾（n=4）的8头成年雌性澳大利亚海狮身上，采集了视频影像、GPS数据、时间深度数据以及加速度计/磁强计数据。
研究人员为海狮佩戴了集成加速度计/磁强计的动物搭载式相机（CATS Cam，尺寸135×96×40毫米，重量400克），以及集成时间深度记录仪的卫星连接式GPS记录器（SPLASH-10，Wildlife Computers出品，尺寸100×65×32毫米，重量200克）。
研究人员先对海狮实施镇静与麻醉，随后将生物记录设备黏附于其背中线的被毛上。该设备仅在单次觅食行程（约1至6天）后即可回收。
本项目采集的数据可为澳大利亚海狮的关键底栖栖息地提供基础研究信息，揭示个体海狮觅食行为的差异及其猎物偏好。此类信息有助于加深我们对海狮种群所面临威胁的认知，并将为后续开展该物种的种群恢复保护行动提供有力支撑。