Ontogeny of swimming and diving in northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups

Abstract

Time spent in the water and diving behavior of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups were monitored between birth and weaning at St. Paul Island, Alaska. The median age when pups began swimming was 26 days, but prior to 40 days of age they spent virtually all their time on shore and only rarely took brief (15-20 min) swims. Pups began spending substantial time in the water at approximately 40-50 days of age, coinciding both with the early growth of insulating underfur and a seasonal peak in sea surface temperature. This suggests that pups had earlier been constrained to remain on shore by their undeveloped thermoregulatory capabilities. Time in the water increased up to approximately 100 days of age, when molted pups spent about 35% of their time in the water and swim bouts were several hours in duration. Moreover, the presence of a pup's mother on shore, photoperiod, and precipitation also influenced the amount of time pups spent in the water. Pups (mean age = 100 days) dove to very shallow depths (mean = 3 m) for short durations (mean = 11 s). Because pups did not gain mass unless suckled by their mothers, it is unlikely that they fed extensively while diving prior to migration. The pattern of development of swimming and diving in northern fur seals is intermediate between typical phocid and otariid patterns, as is the maternal strategy.