James L. Bodkin
S. Howlin
A. M. Doroff
A.H. Rebar
Brenda E. Ballachey
2003
<p><span>We estimated </span>survival<span> of </span>sea<span> </span>otters<span> (Enhydra lutris) for 1 year post weaning during </span>1992<span>-</span>1993<span> </span>in<span> </span>Prince<span> </span>William<span> </span>Sound<span> (PWS), location of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. We sampled 38 pups </span>in<span> eastern PWS (EPWS), an unoiled area occupied by </span>sea<span> </span>otters<span> for <15 years, and 33 pups from oiled western PWS (WPWS), occupied for >25 years. We compared </span>survival<span> between areas, sexes, and condition groups. We also examined the relation of blood parameters to </span>survival<span>. </span>Survival<span> was estimated at 0.74 </span>in<span> EPWS and 0.52 </span>in<span> WPWS. Female </span>survival<span> was 0.86 </span>in<span> EPWS and 0.64 </span>in<span> WPWS, whereas male </span>survival<span> was lower, 0.61 </span>in<span> EPWS and 0.44 </span>in<span> WPWS. </span>Sea<span> </span>otters<span> from EPWS were </span>in<span> better condition (mass/length) than WPWS </span>sea<span> </span>otters<span>. Pups </span>in<span> better condition had higher </span>survival<span> </span>in<span> EPWS but not </span>in<span> WPWS. Foraging success was greater </span>in<span> EPWS than </span>in<span> WPWS, consistent with either an effect of length of occupation or the effects of oil on the prey base or a combination of these effects. Area differences </span>in<span> blood parameters suggested liver damage </span>in<span> WPWS </span>sea<span> </span>otters<span>, perhaps resulting from continued exposure to oil. Thus, both length of occupation and oiling history likely influenced </span>juvenile<span> </span>survival<span> </span>in<span> PWS.</span></p>
application/pdf
10.1139/z03-121
en
Canadian Science Publishing
Correlates to survival of juvenile sea otters in Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1992-1993
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