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Our data collection is well underway!  The project goal is to obtain data on and tag South American fur seal pups successively over multiple months to obtain growth and nursing data.  With most births occurring during the months of November - December in Peru, collection dates were set for late December 2013 , February and March of 2014.  Pups were collected, measured, weighed and tagged (if not already done so)  for tracking.  Graduate students participating in the program then monitored the pups daily recording nursing behavior and maternal care.  Although initially the mothers remain on land nursing the pups, at approximately 7 - 10 days of pup age the females naturally return to sea to forge. This foraging time gradually increases as pups age and eventually join their mothers at sea.  During the first few months however, pups are left behind learning survival skills,  Our project is studying the amount of time mothers remain at sea and then successively return to nurse and nurture pups.  This duration of time is of key importance as we study growth rates, foraging distance for females (an indicator of prey availability), and survivability in the wild.  As these animals are naturally inclined to feed opportunistically and capable of fasting for extended periods of time, we hope to gain valuable information relating to both population sustainability in the wild and within zoological collections.  Fasting animals are naturally a concern for us and obtaining information to compare behavior exhibited in the wild to behavior commonly viewed within our collections will assist us in animal welfare decisions.

To date this season 306 pups have been collected to obtain growth data and tagged for tracking.  120 of these pups have been evaluated multiple times.  Follow up data also includes ensuring that the mother - pup bond is not effected negatively.  All pups are released following their data collection and monitoring occurs which has proven that mothers and pups reunite naturally.  This is the third collection of the season with data collected from 108 pups so far.  Collection has gone smoothly with a team of 18 researchers, behavioralist and veterinarians all assisting in data collection.  From sun up until sun down today, our team worked diligently on the beach collecting data and monitoring behavior following pup release.   Pups get your attention quickly!  They are squirmy, very fast and each has their own personality!  Needless to say this is a week well spent but required a great deal of teamwork from a collaboration of individuals and organizations.  The information we have gained however will hopefully benefit  animals both in the wild and within our zoological communities!