SOP for collecting sea otter forage data - Version 3.1: Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network
Bodkin JL. 2011. SOP for collecting sea otter forage data - Version 3.1: Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network. Natural Resource Report. NPS/SWAN/NRR—2011/394. National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. Fort Collins, Colorado
The purpose of this SOP is to quantify foraging success as well as the types, number, and relative sizes of prey retrieved and consumed by sea otters. Taken together these data provide estimates of consumption rate (e.g. kcal/hr) that may be an index of sea otter population status relative to over-all food availability while more detailed analyses may provide indices of species specific prey population abundances and sizes. Sea otters forage almost exclusively on sessile or slow moving benthic invertebrates and bring all prey to the sea surface prior to consumption. Because their foraging is limited to relatively shallow waters, shore based observers equipped with high power and resolution telescopes can often accurately identify the type, number, and sizes of prey consumed. Observations of sea otter foraging success and intensity will be measured using focal animal foraging observations adapted for sea otter work in past studies. Observations will consist of shore based, near shore observations at selected sites within the KATM and KEFJ study areas using high resolution telescopes.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Bodkin, James
- Date of Issue
- 2011-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
- Units
- KATM , KEFJ , NRSS , SWAN
- Keywords
- consumption rate, Enhydra lutris, Forage, Sea Otter
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Marine Communities