Records of vagrant phocid seals (family Phocidae) in South Australia

Abstract

Five species of phocid seal of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica come ashore occasionally on the southern Australian coast but do not breed there. We document records (specimens and sightings) of visits to South Australia (SA) by southern phocids from 1883 until August 2011. We used records from the SA Museum, reports from coastal officers of SA Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the DENR fauna database, information from the public, the literature and newspapers. Thirty-six southern elephant seal records included two births, in November 1932 and October 1986. The latter pup suckled for 20 days and then stayed ashore for eight weeks; both are similar to average durations at Macquarie Island. Of 33 dated records, 31 were between August and April, when elephant seals at Macquarie Island (the closest breeding site) are ashore to breed or moult. A recognisable male on Kangaroo Island has been sighted often over 10 years to 2010. Of the ice-breeding species, there were 54 leopard seal records. All of 40 dated records were between June and December, with the maximum (12) in August, similar to the seasonal distribution in Tasmania. There were five records of crabeater seals, one of a Ross seal, and one of a Weddell seal.