Many bizarre ideas come from Australia, and now Professor Simon Goldsworthy has the novel idea of attaching cameras and satellites to the backs of Australian sea lions.
Proof that humans can not only live in harmony with nature, but also work with In order to protect and conserve nature, the aim is to collect important information about the behaviour of Australia’s only endemic seal. In addition, the seabed of its habitat will be mapped and threats and changes will be identified.
“Information about them has been so hard to come by because they feed on the sea floor,” said Goldsworthy, who has studied the mammals for 25 years at the South Australian Research and Development Institute.
The number of Australian sea lions has declined by 60% in the last 40 years. There are now only 10,000 animals left in the wild, scattered across 80 breeding grounds along the south and west coasts.
After intensive hunting until the 20th century, the mammals are now endangered by commercial fishing techniques. Goldsworthy described the cameras as a “groundbreaking innovation” and added:
“Now we get this amazing, exquisite detail. They give us a window into their world that we didn’t have before.
“Just as humans know our roads, sea lions know the sea floor in great detail for hundreds of kilometers and build up this knowledge over time. They have a mental map of their surroundings and will guide you to places that are of great importance to them.”
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A sea lion from South Australia with a camera attached – YouTube
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This research is part of many attempts around the world to use camera technology to protect wildlife. A recent study found that the world needs more trail cameras in more places, and rangers in Tanzania are being trained to use camera traps to protect the country’s wildlife.
Using eight female seals from two seal colonies, about 90 hours of footage was shot over an area of more than 500 kilometers, helping scientists map an area of more than 5,000 square kilometers. The seals filmed rocky reefs and seagrass beds, showing scientists the intricacies of their vital habitats.
This process is laborious and expensive without the help of the animals, as cameras have to be towed behind boats or expensive cameras have to be lowered underwater – and in both cases they are exposed to changing weather conditions.
The scientists had to test the cameras by giving the sea lions a short-acting tranquilizer and sticking the cameras to a piece of cloth that was attached to their fur with resin and that would fall off by itself the next time the animals molt.
One discovery highlighted by Goldsworthy was when a mother with a camera took her cub on a hunting lesson and clearly showed him the best places and techniques for foraging.
The team also found that individual seals have certain favorite foods. Some prefer cod, others octopus, stingrays or squid. Different seals also have preferred hunting methods. They dig their prey out of rocks using either their nose or their flippers.
The groundbreaking research is funded by the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program and the Ecological Society of Australia. For more information, read the official research paper, ‘Using sea lion-borne video to map diverse benthic habitats in southern Australia’.
(Image credit: Angelakis et al. 2024)
You may be interested in the best waterproof cameras as well as the best underwater drones.
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