This database is a compendium of histories of known age seals (leopard) from observations across the Southern Ocean but primarily focussed on Macquarie Island. Although the following information pertains to Elephant Seals, it is assumed similar procedures were undertaken with the Leopard Seals between 1957 and 1999: "At Macquarie Island 1000 seals were weighed per annum between 1993-2003 at birth and individually marked with two plastic flipper tags in the inter-digital webbing of their hind flippers. These tagged seals were weighed again at weaning, when length, girth, fat depth, and flipper measurements were made. Three weeks after weaning 2000 seals were permanently and individually marked by hot-iron branding. Recaptures and re-weighings of these known aged individuals were used to calculate growth and age-specific survival of the seals. Similar data were collected from elephant seals between 1950 and 1965 when seals were individually marked by hot-iron branding. Mark-recapture data from these cohorts were used to assess the demography of the declining population. Length and mass data were also collected for these cohorts and were used, for the first time, to assess the growth of individual seals without killing them." The database was held by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre, but was taken offline due to maintenance problems. A snapshot of the database was taken in June 2018 and stored in an access database. This work was completed as part of ASAC project 90.

---- Public Summary from Project ---- Leopard seals are usually seen in the pack-ice where they pup on the ice and where they must first face life at sea. However at Macquarie Island, well to the north of the ice, for 50 years now there has been the odd phenomenon of 'Leopard seal years'. At seemingly semi-regular periods (~3-4 years) considerable numbers (can be greater than 100) of leopard seals arrive at the island; and then virtually none are seen for some more years. The periodicity of these arrivals has been striking. Thus it seems that young leopard seals (which is the group arriving in poor condition on Macquarie Island) suffer acute food shortages in the pack-ice zone every 3-4 years. This project will continue to record these events and tag and weigh the seals which come ashore. This will allow the long-term dataset to continue and give some more information about the seals which arrive. It is also planned to glue some satellite recorders to the seals so that their journeys after M.I. can be known. Data are collected when seals are seen on beach. Since the 1980s few seals have been seen so data are sparse but significant. Currently the dataset contains the number of leopard seals sighted at Macquarie Island each year and a record of sightings of Leopard Seals from 1948 till 2002 (some years are omitted due to unavailability of data, see quality information). Details on the sightings include date and location of sighting and condition of the seal. The fields in the dataset for the number of seals sighted each year at Macquarie Island are: Year Number of seals. The fields in the dataset detailing the sightings of Leopard Seals on Macquarie Island from 1948 till 2002 include the following: Seal ID: Each seal has been allocated a unique ID number. This acts as a means of tracking the seal if a tag is replaced or removed. Tag #1 and Tag #2: Tag numbers include plastic tags attached to the seals flippers and substitute tag numbers allocated to those seals marked with paint in 1959 and those seals resighted by length and/or a distinguishing feature or injury. Information on plastic tags: -All tags used from 1976-1981 were yellow plastic - except 50 (30/9/76) which is red plastic diamond shaped, and 90a which is metal. -Tag numbers followed by a in 1976 are coffin shaped (note: a prefix of 0 was used in original tag rather than an a following the number). -Tag numbers followed by a in 1977 are combinations of shovel and coffin shaped parts (note: a prefix of 0 was used in original tag rather than an a following the number). -Tag numbers not followed by a in 1977 are shovel-shaped. -Tags used by 1986 were the 'Jumbo Rototag' which are smaller and made of less flexible plastic than the 'Allflex' tags originally used. -See references below for further information on tags and methods of tagging used. Information on substitute or'S' tags -Tags prefixed with S are substitute tags. Seals with a tag prefixed by S were not physically tagged with a plastic or metal tag. This 'tag number' was allocated when collating data from years when plastic tagging were not used and resights of seals were determined by either coloured markings painted on the seals (as in 1959) or by a combination of length, sex, distinguishing features or injuries. -S Tag numbers were allocated in date order of the original or 'New' sighting. Hence 'tag' S1 was allocated to the first seal sighted and then resighted in 1949. -Note: There are some instances where the original recorder of the sightings did not note any distinguishing features or paint markings on the seal but later recorded that the seal had been resighted. When this occurred the 'word' of the recorder was taken and an S tag allocated. Date: Date of sighting whether initial sighting or a resighting of the same seal. Location Codes: This field notes the location code for the area on Macquarie Island where the seal was sighted. The code corresponds to a grid reference on Macquarie Island that was originally used for locating Elephant Seal sightings. A listing of these reference codes is also attached to this dataset. The fields in the location code dataset are: Location Name, Location ID, Latitude and Longitude. Within the original records a number of locations were noted using outdated or informal names. These locations were renamed with the reference code now used for that location. A listing of the informal names and the location codes they respond to has been included in the Location Codes worksheet for reference. Sex: the sex of the seal is noted in this column as either: M = Male or F = Female. Length: The nose to tail length of the seal is noted in centimetres. Condition: This field details the general condition of the Leopard Seal. The coding is as follows: G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor, T = Thin, E = Emancipated, D = Dead and K = Killed. Comments on Condition: This field is used to note any additional details regarding the condition of the animal including; whether the seal was moulting or had it's full fur, if the seal was solid or thin, the condition of the mouth, teeth and eyes; injuries including lacerations, tears, puncture / bite wounds or scars; and prominent features that could be used to recognise the seal if sighted again. Descriptions detailing the seal's health or temperament were also noted, these comments included: lively, aggressive, timid, sleepy and sluggish. Comments on movement and tagging: This field notes additional details on where the seal was sighted, it's movements and information regarding the tags used. Location of tag: UL = Upper left, UR = Upper right, LL = Lower left and LR = Lower right. W or E: What W and E relate to in regards to the seal sighting is currently unknown, however the information has been included as it may prove to be significant / useful. Sighting: This field defines the sighting as either N = New sighting or R = Resighting, ie the seal has been sighted previously and either 1) has been tagged or 2) has a predominant marking or feature that has made the seal recognisable. Note: if information was unknown the fields were left blank.

APIS data were collected between 1994 and 1999. This dataset also includes some historical data collected between 1985 and 1987. Both aerial and ship-board surveys were conducted. Studies on the behaviour of Pack-ice or Crabeater Seal (Lobodon carcinophagus) in the Southern Ocean and in the Australian Sector of Antarctica were also conducted as part of this study. Satellite tracking was used to determine their movement, durations on land and at sea, dive depths and dive duration etc. The four species of Antarctic pack ice seals (crabeater, leopard, Weddell, and Ross seals) are thought to comprise up to 50% or more of the world's total biomass of seals. As long-lived, top level predators in Southern Ocean ecosystems, pack ice seals are scientifically interesting because they can assist in monitoring shifts in ecosystem structure and function, especially changes that occur in sensitive polar areas in response to global climate changes. The APIS Program focuses on the ecological importance of pack ice seals and their interactions with physical and biotic features of their environment. This program is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary research initiative whose planning and implementation has involved scientists from more than a dozen countries. It is being developed and coordinated by the Group of Specialists on Seals of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and represents an important contribution to SCAR's Antarctic Global Change Program. Australian researchers have undertaken an ambitious science program studying the distribution and abundance of pack ice seals in support of the APIS Program. An excellent overview of this work is provided at the Australian Antarctic Division's web site. The following paragraphs provide a brief progress report of some of that work through 1998. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Four years of developmental work have now been completed in preparation for the Australian contribution to the circumpolar survey that will take place in December 1998. Until recently the main effort has been directed towards designing and building a system for automatic data logging of line transect data by double observers. Two systems identical in concept have been designed for aerial survey and shipboard survey. The systems consist of a number of sighting guns and keypads linked to a central computer. The sightings guns are used to measure the exact time and angle of declination from the horizon of seals passing abeam of the survey platform. Also logged regularly (10 second intervals) are GPS position and altitude (aerial survey only). The aerial survey system also has an audio backup. The aerial survey system has been trialled over three seasons and the shipboard system over one season. Preliminary analysis of aerial data indicates that the essential assumption of the line transect method is badly violated, reinforcing the need for double observers. Assumption violation is likely to be less in shipboard survey, but assessment of the assumption of perfect sightability on the line is still important. User manuals have been written for both the aerial and shipboard systems. An aerial survey system is being constructed for use by BAS in the coming season. A backup manual system for aerial and shipboard survey has also been developed in the event of the automatic system failing. The aerial backup system uses the perspex sighting frame developed by the US. A database has been designed for storage and analysis of aerial and shipboard data. Importing of data is fast and easy, allowing post-survey analysis and review immediately after each day's survey effort. Aides for training observers have been developed. A video on species identification has been produced. A Powerpoint slide show has been designed to simulate aerial survey conditions and use of the automatic data logging system. Currently effort has been directed toward developing an optimal survey design. While a general survey plan is necessary, it must be flexible to deal with unpredictable ice and weather conditions. It is planned to use both the ship and two Sikorsky 76 helicopters as survey platforms. The ship will be used to survey into and out from stations, and inwards from the ice edge for approximately 60 miles. The helicopters will be used to survey southwards from the ship for distances up to 140 miles in favourable weather. Helicopters will fly in tandem, with transects 10 miles apart. Studies of crabeater seal haul-out behaviour have been conducted over the past four seasons. Twenty SLTDRs have been deployed in the breeding season (September-October). The length of deployments varies from a few days to 3 months. No transmissions have been received after mid-January, probably due to loss of instruments during the moult. Most instruments have transmitted data through the survey period of November-December. Haul-out behaviour is consistent between animals and years. However, five more instruments will be deployed in the survey season to ensure there is haul-out data concurrent with the survey effort. Some observations of penguins and whales were also made. The accompanying dataset includes three Microsoft Access databases (stored in both Access 97 and Access 2002 formats), as well as two Microsoft Word documents, which provide additional information about these data. The fields in this dataset are: Date Time Time since previous sighting Side (of aircraft/ship) Seen by (observer) Latitude Longitude Number of adults Number of pups Species (LPD - Leopard Seal, WED - Weddell Seal, SES - Southern Elephant Seal, CBE - Crabeater Seal, UNS - Unknown Seal, ADE - Adelie Penguin, ROS - Ross Seal, EMP - Emperor Penguin, MKE - Minke Whale, ORC - Orca Whale, UNP - Unknown Penguin, UNW - Unknown Whale) SpCert - How certain the observer was of correct identification - a tick indicates certainty Distance from Observer (metres) Movement Categories - N: no data, S: stationary, MB: moved body, MBP: moved body and position, movement distance: -99 no data, negative values moved towards flight line, positive distance moved away from flight line Distance dart gun fired from animal (in metres) Approach method (S = ship, H = helicopter, Z = unknown) Approach distance (metres) Group (S = single, P = pair, F = family (male, female and pup)) Sex Guessed Weight (kg) Drugs used Maximum Sedation Level (CS = Colin Southwell, MT = Mark Tahmidjis) Time to maximum sedation level Time to return to normal Heart rate (maximum, minimum) Respiration rate (maximum, minimum, resting) Arousal Level (1 = calm, 2 = slight, 3 = strong) Arousal Level Cat1 (1 = calm, 2 = 2+3 from above) Apnoea (maximum length of apnoea in minutes) Comments Time at depth - reading taken every 10 seconds, and whichever depth incremented upwards by 1. Time period (NT - 21:00-03:00, MN - 03:00-09:00, MD - 09:00-15:00, AF - 15:00-21:00) Seal Age - (A = Adult, SA = sub-Adult) WCId - Wildlife Computers Identification Number for SLTDR Length, width, girth (body, head, flippers) (cm) Blood, blubber, skin, hair, tooth, scat, nasal swab - sample taken, yes or no. In general, Y = Yes, N = No, ND = No Data This work was also completed as part of ASAC projects 775 and 2263.