La Mer 139: 121-131 (2001)
Reconstruction of the feeding activity of marine top-predators foraging at sea.
Ropert-Coudert Y, Kato A, Naito Y
Top-predators in the Southern Ocean consume large quantities of marine resources and therefore, interact significantly with human fisheries. Thus, collection of information on seabird and marine mammal feeding activity is of prime importance but their behaviour at sea cannot be assessed directly. Consequently, over the last three decades researchers have attached micro-data recorders to marine predators. These units monitor various parameters as a function of time. The measurement of the feeding activity of seabirds and marine mammals while at sea has evolved from indirect to direct methods, the latest consisting of monitoring the internal temperature of these predators. Recently, substantial progresses were made when temperature was recorded in the upper part of the oesophagus of seabirds in tandem with the recording of other parameters. After a brief review of the various methods to determine the feeding activity of top-predators at sea, this article will discuss the results and potential of internal temperature recorders -with a special emphasis on oesophageal temperature recorders - for determining the foraging behaviour of seabirds and marine mammals.
PG01-6
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