Weddell Seal Growth and Survival Data from the Southern Ocean, 1973-2006

A subset of the TAGS database contains histories of known-age Weddell seals observed across the Southern Ocean, with a focus on the Windmill Islands, Mawson, and the Vestfold Hills. The data collection, which likely includes measurements like weight, length, and girth, is modeled on procedures used for elephant seals between 1950-2006, involving individual tagging and mark-recapture methods. This snapshot of the database was stored by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre in June 2018 as part of ASAC project 90.

Use Cases

• Modeling age-specific survival rates based on mark-recapture data mentioned in the description
• Analyzing individual seal growth patterns using longitudinal weight and length measurements
• Studying population dynamics of a polar marine mammal species over a multi-decade period
• Comparing demographic parameters between different seal species or Antarctic locations

Strengths

• Data collection spans over three decades, from 1973 to 2006, providing a long-term perspective
• Describes a methodology for individual animal tracking using flipper tags and branding
• Focuses on known-age individuals, which is valuable for longitudinal growth and survival analysis

Limitations

• Last updated 2006-10-02 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC)

Collection Method

Field observations involving weighing, physical measurements, and individual tagging of seals.

Time Range

1973 to 2006

Freshness

2006-10-02 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Southern Ocean, with focus on Windmill Islands, Mawson, and Vestfold Hills (Antarctica)