Authors: Ryan R Reisinger N Thomas Mufanadzo P J Nico de Bruyn Marthán N Bester
Publish Date: 2009/01/22
Volume: 32, Issue: 3, Pages: 509-
Abstract
We observed a light coloured female southern elephant seal juvenile Mirounga leonina twice at Marion Island in August 2008 and confirmed that it was leucistic rather than albinistic Though there have been a few previous reports of lightcoloured southern elephant seals this is the first confirmed case of leucism in this species Judged to be 1year old perhaps 2years old at the most and because we have not observed any leucistic pups at Marion Island during the past 2 years despite an extensive monitoring and tagging program we think that this animal was born at nearby Prince Edward Island or perhaps further afield at Îles CrozetWe thank the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism for providing logistical support within the South African National Antarctic Programme and the Department of Science and Technology administered through the National Research Foundation for funding the pinniped monitoring programme at Marion Island
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