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Article
Open AccessFirst paired observations of sexual behavior and calls in wild leopard seals
Little is known about the reproductive biology of the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), a Southern Ocean predator. Here we observed sexual behavior in wild leopard seals in Laguna San Rafael, Chile during a 2 h c...
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Article
Open AccessLeopard seal diets in a rapidly warming polar region vary by year, season, sex, and body size
Resolving the preferred prey items and dietary proportions of leopard seals is central to understanding food-web dynamics in the rapidly-warming Antarctic Peninsula region. Previous studies have identified a w...
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Article
Open AccessPublisher Correction: The genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
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Article
Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems
Southern Ocean ecosystems are under pressure from resource exploitation and climate change1,2. Mitigation requires the identification and protection of Areas of Ecological Significance (AESs), which have so far n...
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Article
Open AccessThe genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate
Understanding the effects of human exploitation on the genetic composition of wild populations is important for predicting species persistence and adaptive potential. We therefore investigated the genetic lega...
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Article
Novel anelloviruses identified in buccal swabs of Antarctic fur seals
Viral diversity associated with Antarctic wildlife remains poorly studied. Nonetheless, over the past 5 years, there has been a concerted effort using viral metagenomics approaches to identify and characterize...
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Article
Open AccessNovel foraging strategies observed in a growing leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) population at Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula
Leopard seals are apex predators that can alter the community structure of Antarctic coastal ecosystems. Previous behavioral studies were limited to land-based, daytime observations of foraging leopard seals....
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Open AccessA small unmanned aerial system for estimating abundance and size of Antarctic predators
Quantifying the distribution and abundance of predators is integral to many ecological studies, but can be difficult in remote settings such as Antarctica. Recent advances in the development of unmanned aerial...
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Article
High male reproductive success in a low-density Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) breeding colony
Understanding how population density influences mating systems may lead to important insights into the plasticity of breeding behavior, but few natural systems allow for such studies. Antarctic fur seals (Arctoce...
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Article
Characterization of blubber fatty acid signatures in northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) over the postweaning fast
Phocids routinely fast for extended periods. During these fasts, energetic requirements are met primarily through the catabolism of blubber lipid. To assess whether fatty acid (FA) composition changes during t...
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Article
Physiological constraints and the influence of diet on fatty acids in the yolk of gentoo penguins, Pygoscelis papua
Avian yolk fatty acids (FA) composition is influenced by two main factors: maternal diet and genetic factors that regulate FA metabolism. However, due to embryonic developmental requirements, yolk FA are thoug...
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Article
Using carapace measurements to determine the sex of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba
Krill (Euphausia superba) carapace measurements (length and width; mm) collected from plankton tows in the South Shetland Islands (SSI), Antarctica are used to test the generality of a common discriminant functio...
