Marine Mammals Project - Dynamic Population in South Orkney Island and South Shetland Island

Bioenergetics In collaboration with the Mammals group from the Alfred Wegener Institute, field work is carried out on a project which aims to: (i) compare energy passed by different mothers during lactation in relation to their mass and body condition, and by the same females during different breeding seasons; (ii) assess energy gained by females during the post-breeding and post-moulting period at sea..(iii) assess energy spent by pups during fasting . 2.

Population dynamics - Annual censuses are carried out during the breeding and moulting period in the study area. - A long term study of branded pups is being carried out to asses the role of year, and condition at weaning on survival. 3. Immunology Studies of serum and milk Immunoglobulin levels are carried out in cooperation with the Biochemistry Program directed by M.E.I. Marquez. The main aims of these studies are: - To investigate the passive transfer of immunity from mother to pup throughout the lactation period. - To investigate the development of active immunity in newborns of Southern elephant seals . 4.