Fur Seal Trophic Ecology in Uruguay

We describe the foraging ecology of South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis) at Isla de Lobos, Uruguay, the northernmost colony of the species in the Atlantic. We use multiple approaches to investigate diet and behavior at sea. South American fur seal females are epi- or meso-pelagic divers that feed on vertically migrating prey of high-energy content (e.g., Argentine short-fin squid—Illex argentinus, anchovy—Engraulis anchoita and hake—Merluccius hubbsi). Fur seal females travel far to forage, focusing their efforts over the slope of the continental shelf. Different degrees of individual trophic specialization and foraging away from the coast reduce the overlap with coastal fisheries and may explain the growth of this population during the past 60 years.