Crabeater seal, Waikawa

[Colin Miskelly]

Hi all

Report received via DOC (with photos) of a crabeater seal seen yesterday on beach north of Otaki River mouth. This is the ninth known occurrence in New Zealand.

http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2016/03/02/t ... ter-seals/

Cheers
Colin

[Colin Miskelly]

Still present today (Waikawa Beach)
Colin

[Colin Miskelly]

The seal was near death and was euthanised this morning.

Colin

[Olwen]

Any obvious reason for the death?

[Colin Miskelly]

Crabeater seals are specialist krill eaters, which they catch by gulping mouthfuls of water (and krill) and straining it out through their ornate, interlocking teeth. See image in:

http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2015/04/01/a-crabeater-seal-a-long-way-from-home/

Antarctic krill are both more abundant and much larger than those in New Zealand waters. Most crabeater seals that reach our shores are emaciated (as was the Waikawa animal), presumably because they have been unable to find suitable food once out of Antarctic waters.

Cheers
Colin

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Those teeth are amazing.

[Olwen]

Thanks for the answer. so its the abundance rather than the size of the krill that makes the difference. What a pity!

[Colin Miskelly]

Hi Olwen

It is size also - the small krill in New Zealand waters (e.g. Nyctiphanes australis) would not be caught by the 'tooth sieve'.

Cheers
Colin