Fur Seal Investigations,
Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965

by Alton Y. Roppel, Ancel M. Johnson,

Raymond E. Anas, and Douglas G. Chapman

Marine Biologcal Laboralory

LIBRARY

DEC 1 '1 1966

WOODS HOLE, MASS.

SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT-FISHERIES Na 536

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
BUR E A^Tof^COMMERaAniSHERii?

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Stewart L. Udall, Secretary

John A. Carver, Jr., Under Secretary

Stanley A. Cain, Assistant Secretary j or Fish and Wildlife and Parks

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, Clarence F. Pautzko, Commissioner

Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Donald L. McKernan, Director

Fur Seal Investigations,
Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965

By

ALTON Y. ROPPEL, ANGEL M. JOHNSON
RAYMOND E. ANAS, and DOUGLAS G. CHAPMAN

United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Special Scientific Report--Fisheries No. 536

Washington, D.C.
October 1966

CONTENTS

Page

1
2
2
2

7
7
9
10
11
11
11
14
15

20
21
21
21

22
22
23
23

Introduction

Population

Males

Commercial kill

Bull counts

Females

Tag recoveries and tagging

Tag recoveries

Tagging and marking of pups

Tagging of yearlings

Pup mortality

Pup weights

Population estin^ates

Estimates based on tag recoveries ^^

Estimates based on sampling live paps IJ

Discussion of population estimates

Reproduction

Other studies

Experimental skins

Radionuclides in seal teeth ^^

Seal behavior ff

Rookery charts

Summary

Acknowledgments

Literature cited

Glossary ^*

Appendix A. Predictions of 1966 kill of males 26

Appendix B. Appendix tables ^^

Appendix C. Persons engaged in fur seal and other research on the Pribilof Islands in

1965 44

FIGURES

1. Kill of 3- and 4-year-old male seals, by 5-day periods, St. Paul Island, 11 July -

10 Aug. 1965 3

2. Kill of 3- and 4-year-old male seals, by varying periods, St. George Island, 11 July -

10 Aug. 1965 3

3. Laborers hanging seal carcasses on hooks, byproducts plant, St. Paul Island, 1965 . 6

4. Carcasses being separated from heads over grinder, byproducts plant, St. Paul

Island, 1965 ^

5. Biological assistant taking tooth samples, byproducts plant, St. Paul Island, 1965 . . 7

6. Biologist examining seals for tags and checkmarks, byproducts plant, St. Paul Island,

1965 8

7. Counts of harem and idle bulls, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1950-55 and 1957-65 .... 8

8. Examples of tag and mark locations that have been used since 1940 on fur seal pups,

Pribilof Islands, Alaska 13

9. V-notch mark applied to pups and used subsequently to identify age when the seal has

lost its tag, or was V-notched only. This mark was photographed soon after it was

made with a veterinary ear-notching instrument 14

10. V-notch checkmarks applied to pups in 1962 with veterinary ear-notching instruments

and recovered from tagged 3-year-old males in 1965. Of 279 checkmarks examined,
95 percent were similar to those in the top row, and 5 percent resembled those in
the bottom row. Examination of thousands of seals has shown that the marks in the
top row cannot be confused with accessory or naturally occurring marks. The
marks in the bottom row would not have been recognized if the seals had not been
tagged; these marks are assumed to be checkmarks 14

11. Body lengths of known-age yearling males and males selected as yearlings on the

basis of body length, St. Paul Island, 1965 14

12. Counts of dead pups, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1950-51 and 1953-65 15

13. Mean weights of seal pups about 1 September, St. Paul Island, 1965 15

14. Counts of territorial bulls, nursing females, pups, and nonbreeders, average of

3 years, Kitovi Rookery study area, St, Paul Island, 1961-63 22

Page

TABLES

1. Kill of male seals, by year class, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1947-63 3

2. Dates at which various kill levels of male seals were reached and the corresponding

percentage age classification, St. Paul Island, 1954-65 4

3. Cumulative number of male seals killed, St. Paul Island, 1955-65 5

4. Kill of female seals, by year class, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1939-64 9

5. Percentage age composition of female seals sam.pled from the kills, Pribilof Islands,

Alaska, 1958-65 10

6. Summary of tagged and lost-tag seals recovered, by age and sex, Pribilof Islands,

Alaska, 1965 12

7. Tag recoveries in 1965 from seals selected and tagged as yearlings, Pribilof Islands,

Alaska 13

8. Summary of Soviet tags recovered from the kill, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965. ... 13

9. Summary of data from tagging of yearlings, St. Paul Island, 1965 14

10. Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries from males, year classes

1960-63, Pribilof Islands, Alaska 16

11. Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries from 3- and 4-year-old

males, year classes 1958-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska 16

12. Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries from 3- and 4-year-old

males, by 5-day periods, year classes 1961-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska 16

13. Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries, year classes 1951-63,

Pribilof Islands, Alaska 17

14. Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries from females, year classes

1960-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska 17

15. Estimates of the yearling male population based on tags recovered fronn seals se-

lected and tagged as yearlings, year classes 1961-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska. . . 18

16. Estimates of the pup population based on marked-to-unmarked ratios obtained by

sampling groups of 25 after shearing, year class 1965, St. Paul Island 18

17. Estimates of the pup population based on marked-to-unmarked ratios obtained by

sampling groups of 100 after shearing, year class 1965, St. Paul Island 19

18. A comparison of counts and estimates of the pup population on four rookeries, year

class 1965, St. Paul Island 19

19. Estimates of the pup population based on n-iarked-to-unmarked ratios obtained by

sampling live pups after shearing, year class 1965, St. Paul Island 20

20. Estimates of the pup population at the time of shearing or tagging, from nnarked-to-

unmarked ratios, year classes 1961-65, St. Paul Island 21

21. Sealskins collected for experimental use, St. Paul Island, 1958 and 1961-65 22

Appendix A tables

1. Data for the regression of percentage of the kill from a year class at ages 3 and 4

taken at age 3 on date of termination and median date of the kill at age 3, year
classes 1947-61, St. Paul Island 27

2. The kill of 3- and 4-year-old males and mean air temperature, year classes 1950-61,

St. Paul Island 27

3. Mean weight of untagged male pups and kill of 3-year-old males from the year class,

St. Paul Island, 1957-62 29

4. Predictions of the kill of males in 1966, by age, Pribilof Islands, Alaska 29

5. Comparison of forecasted and actual kills of males, 1961-65 30

Appendix B tables
Data on males:

6. Age classification of male seals killed on St. Paul Island, 7 July to 9 August 1965 . . 31

7. Cumulative age classification of male seals killed on St. Paul Island, 7 July to

9 August 1965 32

8. Age classification of male seals killed on St. George Island, 7 July to 6 August 1965 33

9. Cumulative age classification of male seals killed on St. George Island, 7 July to

6 August 1965 33

10. Counts of harem and idle bulls, by rookery, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965 34

11. Counts of harem and idle bulls, by island, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1911-41 and

1943-65 35

Page

Data on females:

12. Age classification of female seals killed on St. Paul Island, 23-27 August 1965 .... 36

13. Cumulative age classification of female seals killed onSt. Paul Island, 23-27 August

1965 36

14. Age classification of female seals killed on St. George Island, 16-27 August 1965 . . 37

15. Cumulative age classification of female seals killed on St. George Island, 16-27 Au-

gust 1965 37

Tagging and tag-recovery data:

16. Soviet tags recovered from the kill, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965 38

17. Fur seal pups tagged and checkmarked, and marked only, St. Paul Island, 1965 .... 39

18. Record of fur seal pups tagged, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1941, 1945, 1947-49, and

1951-65 40

19. Tags applied to seals selected as yearlings on the basis of body length, St. Paul

Island, 1965 41

Miscellaneous data:

20. Counts of dead pups, by rookery, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1941 and 1948-65 42

21. Mean weights of seal pups about 1 September, year classes 1957-65, St. Paul Island 43

22. Mean weights of seal pups about I September, by rookery, St. Paul Island, 1965 ... 43

Fur Seal Investigations,
Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965

by

ALTON Y. ROPPEL, ANCEL M, JOHNSON
RAYMOND E. ANAS, and DOUGLAS G. CHAPMAN

ABSTRACT

The age classification of 40,367 male fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) killed on
the Pribilof Islands in 1965 was: age 2, 4 percent; age 3, 56 percent; age 4, 36
percent; and age 5, 4 percent. Theagesof 901 male seals were not determined. The
peak of the kill occurred 27-31 July. Predicted kills of 3- and 4-year-old nnales on
St. Paul Island were 33,000 and 16,000; actual kills to 9 August were 19,009 and
12,046. All 2-year-old males available 22-26 July on St. Paul Island were killed to
determine if abundance on land at age 2 is related to return of the year class at
age 3. To test the commercial value of their skins, 854 males larger and older in
appearance than those normally taken were killed. Harem and idle bulls counted on
the Pribilof Islands were 10,470 and 6,729. Of 10,432 females killed, St. Paul Island
contributed 7,530, and St. George Island, 2,902. Selective killing for young females
on St. Paul Island 23-27 August produced 88 percent in ages 2-5; nonselective killing
on St. George Island 16-27 August produced 64 percent in ages 2-5. Sixty-five
3-year-old females examined were nuUiparous; 1 of 51 4-year-old females was
primiparous and recently post partum. Recoveries of marked seals included 4,947
with tags or checkmarks applied in the year of birth, 238 selected and tagged as
yearlings in previous years, and 36 seals tagged by the U.S.S.R. Ten thousand pups
were single-tagged and checkmarked, and 20,087 were checkmarked only; 922 seals
were double-tagged as yearlings. Pup mortality on land was 46,308. On the basis of
tag recoveries from males and counts of dead pups, about 560,000 pups were born
on the Pribilof Islands in 1961 and 500,000 in 1962. On the basis of tag recoveries
from females, 344,107 pups were born in 1960, 527, 482 in 1961, and 337,012 in
1962. Marked-to-unmarked ratios yielded an estimate of 347,000 pups born on the
Pribilof Islands in 1965. From tags recovered in 1965 from seals tagged as
yearlings in previous years, we estimated that there were 78,000 yearling males
in 1961 and 85,000 in 1962. The average weight of untagged and unmarked seal
pups exceeded that of tagged and marked seal pups by 1.14 kg. (males) and 1.04 kg.
(females). The predicted kill of male seals on St. Paul Island in 1966 includes
3,000 of ages 2 and 5, 26,000 of age 3, and 14,000 of age 4. Female seals will not
be purposely killed in 1966.

INTRODUCTION

Two recent advances in research are im-
portant for nnanagement of fur seals (Cal-
lorhinus ursinus) on the Pribilof Islands.
First, we are making better estimates of the
number of pups born, the number of females
required to bear these pups, and the number

Note. — Alton Y. Roppel and Ancel M. Johnson, Wildlife
Biologists (Research), and Raymond E. Anas, Fishery
Biologist (Research), Bureau of Commercial Fisheries
Marine Mammal Biological Laboratory, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Seattle, Wash. 98115; and Douglas G.
Chapman, Laboratory of Statistical Research, University
of Washington, Seattle, Wash. 98105.

of feniales needed each year to replace those
that die. Second, we are studying the value
of finished sealskins by age and sex.

Estimates of the number of pups born based
on the tag-and-recovery method have long
been known to be inflated, mainly as a result
of tag-induced mortality and loss of tags.
Additional pups are now marked each year by
shearing a patch of fur, and estimates of the
number born are obtained by sampling for a
marked-to-unmarked ratio 1 to 3 weeks later.
The estimates from shearing were sinnilar
to complete counts of pups on several small
rookeries.

By applying to the pup estimates the preg-
nancy rates and mortality of seals obtained by
pelagic sampling, we can estimate the number

of females necessary to produce a given
number of pups and the recruitment needed to
maintain a given level of the female popula-
tion.

Experimental skins now being processed will
make it possible to compare the relative value
of sealskins from males and females of vari-
ous ages. This information, together with in-
formation on the mortality of seals of each
age, will be used to regulate the kill so as to
obtain the maximum monetary value from a
year class of seals.

This report summarizes the research data
collected on the Pribilof Islands in 1965 and
discusses (1) the population dynamics of the
seal herd, (2) the reproduction of males and
females, and (3) other studies. Forecasts of
the kill of male seals in 1966 are given in
appendix A.

POPULATION

This section presents information on tech-
niques used to regulate the kills of male and
female seals in 1965, and briefly discusses
research methods and results having immediate
application to studies of fur seal population
dynamics.

Males

Male seals of all ages, particularly those
age 3 and older, return to the Pribilof Islands
each summer. Those fronn age 1 to about age 9
haul out on areas adjacent to the rookeries.
Termed hauling grounds, -'■ these areas yield
the bulk of the commercial harvest of males,
of which more than 90 percent is made up of
3- and 4-year-olds. Several thousand males
age 9 and older haul out on traditional rookery
or breeding grounds where they acquire harems
of 1 to 100 females (average 25) each. Infor-
mation on the number of males of each age
killed commercially for their skins, and knowl-
edge of the number of harem and idle (reserve)
bulls that return to the Pribilof Islands each
summer is needed as a basis for managing the
herd.

Commercial kill. --In 1965, nnale seals were
killed daily from 7 July to 9 August on St. Paul
Island, and on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays from 7 July to 6 August on St. George
Island.

All available subadult males 42.0 inches
(106.7 cm.) long or longer (tip of nose to tip of
tail), but without manes, were taken on the
Pribilof Islands in 1965. A minimum limit of
body length allows most 2-year-old males to
escape the kill; a maximunn limit (indicated by
the presence of a mane) allows the recruitment

Special terms used in this report are defined in the
glossary.

of males age 6 and older into the breeding
reserve. Because the mane (long, silver-
colored guard hairs on back of the neck and on
the shoulders) is not evident until about age 6,
use of this secondary sex characteristic per-
mits the killing of nearly all of the available
3-, 4-, and 5-year-old males.

As in previous years, the age classification
of males killed in 1965 was based on samples
of canine teeth. This information is presented
in appendix tables 6, 7, 8, and 9. The trend in
the kill of 3- and 4-year-old males is illus-
trated in figure 1 for St. Paul Island and in
figure 2 for St. George Island. Table 1 shows
the kill of male seals on the Pribilof Islands
for the 1947- 63 year classes, table 2 illustrates
the dates at which certain kill levels were
reached in the years 1954-65, and table 3 shows
the cumulative numbers of males killed each
year on St. Paul Island 1955-65.

The minimum limit of body length was re-
moved on St. Paul Island 22-26 July 1965 to
allow a complete kill of 2-year-old males in
the drives. This was the second year of a
study designed to determine if the abundance
of 2-year-old males on land in late July is
related to the kill of 3-year-olds the following
year. Age and body length weredetermined for
20 percent of all males killed during the 5-day
period.

In addition to the regular kill and the special
kill of 2-year-olds, 854 males larger and older
in appearance than those normally taken were
killed to test the commercial value of their
skins. The ages of 361 males taken 12-21 July
ranged from 4 through 8 (80 percent were in
ages 5 and 6). Age was not determined for
493 oversize males taken 22 July to 9
August.

Beginning 27 July 1965, collection of canine
teeth, recovery of tags, and recording of
checkmarks from male seals killed on St.
Paul Island was transferred from the killing
fields to the byproducts building. Built in 1918
and used until 1961 as a facility for rendering
seal carcasses into meal and oil, the byproducts
building was converted in 1964 to a plant for
grinding and freezing carcasses of seals that
have been eviscerated and beheaded. The
ground product is used as mink food.

In 1965, carcass-handling facilities were
improved by the installation of a constantly
moving overhead cable driven at the rate of
6 feet per minute by two electric motors.
Attached to the cable at 12-inch intervals were
360 long-shanked hooks. Each seal carcass
was suspended on a hook that passed between
the lower jaw bones and up through the mouth
(fig. 3). After the carcass was eviscerated,
it was washed and cooled as it moved through
a series of salt-water sprinklers. About 360
feet beyond the point where the carcass was
hung on a hook, a circular blade severed the
head and allowed the carcass to drop into a
high-speed grinder (fig. 4).

6

-X— 3-YEAR-OLD MALES

-*— 4-YEAR-OLO MALES

5

4

n

1 1 ■ ■ . . 1

16

JULY

21 26 31

DATE

5 10

AUGUST

Figure 1. — Kill of 3- and 4-year-old male seals, by 5-
day periods, St. Paul Island, 11 July-10 Aug. 1965.

11.6

o

liJ
OC

3
X

-X- 3-YEAR-OLD MALES
-♦—4-YEAR-OLD MALES

JULY

16

21 24

DATE

31 5

AUGUST

10

Figure 2. — Kill of 3- and 4-year-old male seals, by
varying periods, St. George Island, 11 July-10 Aug. 1965.

Table 1.— Kill of male seals, •■■ by year class, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 194-7-63

St.

Paul Island

St. George Island

Year

Age

when killed

Age when killed

Grand

Total

Total

2

3

4

5

2

3

4

5

1947

30, 110

23,697

854

54,661

7,043

3,731

123

10,897

65,558

1948

486

25,714

19,995

103

46, 298

114

5,546

3,926

22

9,608

55,906

1949

29,697

12,326

249

42, 272

303

7,116

2,570

280

10,269

52,541

1950

855

40,656

15,365

332

57,208

1,104

8,475

4,793

147

14, 519

71,727

1951

1,384

32,350

18,083

3,057

54, 874

288

7,907

5,310

681

14, 186

69,060

1952

1,735

30,733

31,410

675

64,553

545

8,998

8,459

506

18, 508

83,061

1953

839

38,312

8,855

54

48,060

295

10,611

3,330

100

14, 336

62,396

1954

2,918

23,473

5,599

554

32,544

535

6,651

2,779

162

10, 127

42,671

1955

1,015

27,863

10, 555

115

39,548

555

7,246

2,825

260

10, 886

50,434

1956

885

10,671

2,762

532

14,850

171

2,251

1,387

218

4,027

18, 877

1957

2,590

24, 283

15,344

773

42,990

242

5,098

4,492

24^

10,076

53,066

1958

1,977

48,458

14, 149

1,587

66, 171

431

9,413

3,707

540

14, 091

80, 262

1959

2,820

26,456

14, 184

1,764

45, 224

891

5,890

4,690

492

11,963

57, 187

1960

1,619

14, 310

10,533

1,240

27,702

636

4,332

2,579

178

7,725

35,427

1961^

1,098

22,468

12,046

35,612

921

6,948

2,592

10,461

46, 073

1962^

2,539

19,009

21, 548

1,139

3,736

4,875

26,423

1963^

1,264

1,264

167

167

1,431

""^ Includes only age 2- to 5-year-old seals taken during the male kills on the Pribilof Islands;
males taken during the female kills of recent years usually have not been sampled for age.
^ Incomplete returns.

Table 2. — Dates at which various kill levels of male seals were reached and the corresponding percentage age

classification, St. Paul Island, 1954-65

Date

Cumulative

total kill

Age in years

2, 5, and 5

1954:

4 July
11 do..
18 do..

27 do..

1955:

9 do..,
16 do..,
22 do..,
31 do..,

1956:

6 do..,

11 do..,
16 do..,

26 do..,
15 Aug.,

1957:

13 July.
2A do..,

5 Aug..
10 do...

1958:
10 July.
18 do...

28 do...
31 do...

1959:

14 do...

27 do...
31 do..,

1960:
21 do...

1 Aug. .

7 do...

1961:

9 July.

18 do...

24 do...

2 Aug..

15 do...

1962:

12 July.
20 do...
26 do...

5 Aug..

1963:

16 July.

25 do...
5 Aug..

1964:
15 July.
24 do...

2 Aug. .

5 do...

1965:

19 July.

29 do...

8 Aug..

9 do...

Number

10, 000
20, 000
30, 000
49,699

10, 000
20, 000
30, 000
49,977

10, 000
20, 000
30,000
50,000
75,736

10,000
20, 000
30, 000
34,055

10,000
20,000
30, 000
33,325

10, 000
20, 000
22, 286

10,000
20, 000
28, 819

10, 000
20, 000
30,000
50,000
67, 169

10, 000
20, 000
30,000
39,983

10,000
20,000
30, 000

10, 000
20, 000
30, 000
32,712

10,000
20, 000
30, 000
31,055

Percent

44
49
56
65

50
53
56
62

24
30
33
41
51

53
63
67
69

74
78

80
82

38
45
46

80
83
84

61
62
66
70
72

49
54
59
62

33
43
47

48
55
59
60

44
51
56
56

Percent

54
49
41
31

48
46
42
36

64
62
60
52
42

41
33
28
26

26
22

19
17

57
50
47

17
12
10

37
37
32
27
23

47
42
37
34

59
50
46

43
36
31
29

50
43
37
36

Percent

2
2
3
4

2
1
2
2

12
8
7
7
7

1
1

5
5
7

3
5
6

2

1
2
3
5

4
4
4
4

8
7
7

9
9

10
11

6
6
7
8

Table 3. — Cumulative number of male seals killed, St. Paul Island, 1955-65"""

Date

Age in years

Date

Age in years

1955:

1 Jul;/.

6 do...
11 do...
16 do...
21 do...
26 do...
31 do...

1956:

1 July.
6 do...
11 do...
16 do...
21 do...
26 do...
31 do...

5 Aug. .

10 do...

15 do...

1957:

1 July.

6 do...

11 do...

16 do...
21 do...
26 do...
31 do...

5 Aug. .

10 do. . .

1958:

1 July.

6 do...

11 do...
16 do...
21 do...
26 do...
31 do...

1959:

1 Ju];sr.

6 July.

11 do...

16 do...

21 do...

26 do...

31 do...

1960:

1 July.

6 do...
11 do...
16 do...
21 do...
26 do...
31 do...

5 Aug..
10 do...

1,57-^
3,341
5,929
10,416
15,358
21,707
30,733

1,079

2,671

6,U5

9,808

XA, 589

20, 726

26,590

31,701

35,502

38,290

1

2

4.

6

9

13

16

19

23

,360
,994
,507
,777
,380
,350
,804
,823
,473

1,991
3,988
8,038
12,917
17,688
22,661
27, 216

584
1,364
2,625
4,189
6,096
8,327
10,203

699

1,751

3,274

5,529

7,904,

10,978

15,312

21,610

24, 201

1,962

3,643

6,248

8,999

11,643

15,638

18,083

3,056
7,060
12,677
17,954
22,159
25,999
28,560
29,853
30,663
31,448

1,071
2,161
3,296
4,651
5,602
6,784
7,547
8,196
8,855

732
1,383
2,658
3,912
4,839
5,279
5,556

1,474
3,028
4,665
6,425
7,949
9,721
10,446

368
676
988
1,385
1,717
1,968
2,347
2,657
2,757

1961:

6 July.
11 do..
16 do..
21 do..,
26 do...
31 do..

5 Aug.

10 do . .

15 do..

1962:

6 July

11 do..

16 do..
21 do..
26 do..
31 do..

5 Aug.

1963:

6 July
11 do..
16 do..
21 do..
26 do..
31 do..

5 Aug.

1964:

6 July
11 do..
16 do..
21 do..
26 do..
31 do..

5 Aug.

1965:
11 July
16 do..
21 do..
26 do..
31 do..
5 Aug.
10 do..

4,119
6,770
9,993
15,492
22,609
29,523
38,908
43,629
48,458

1,639
4,485
7,643
11, 226
17, 301
20, 267
25,098

1,381
2,498
3,155
6,047
8,915
11, 596
13, 954

1,819

3,266

5,619

9,333

13, 188

17,607

22, 203

1,228

2,637

5,236

8,436

12, 126

15,246

19,009

2,315

4,316

6,021

8,302

10, 851

12,488

14,072

14,780

15,344

2,028

4,335

6,636

8,663

10, 832

12,047

13,422

2,668

4,331

5,531

7,882

10, 373

12,283

13,791

2,095
3,482
4,968
6,710
8,279
9,624
10, 509

2,050
3,729
5,873
7,883
9,838
11,115
12,046

""" Sealing began 2 July in 1961, 1962, and 1963; 1 July in 1964; 7 July in 1965; 27 June all other years.
Kill of males ended on the following dates: 31 July 1955; 15 Aug. 1956; 10 Aug. 1957; 31 July 1958-59;
7 Aug. 1960; 15 Aug. 1961; 5 Aug. 1962-64; and 9 Aug. 1965.

Figure 3. — Laborers hanging seal carcasses on hooks, byproducts plant, St.
Island, 1965 (photo by Harry W. May).

Paul

Figure 4. — Carcasses being separated from heads over grinder, byproducts plant,
St. Paul Island, 1965 (photo by Harry W. May).

Collection of canine teeth, recovery of tags,
and recording of checkmarks were done nnid-
way between the sprinklers and the grinder.
Standing on a platform 3 feet high, one man
used a hack saw to remove the snouts just
anterior to the eyes (fig. 5). From this posi-
tion, the snouts passed the worker at eye level.
Twenty percent or more of the seals were
sampled daily for right upper canine teeth by
.taking the snouts from carcasses 1 and 2, 11
and 12, 21 and 22, etc., until all seals killed
that day had passed. Another man examined
left front flippers for tags and checkmarks as
he walked in a direction opposing that of the
moving line of carcasses (fig. 6). When he
reached the sprinklers, the worker inserted a
marker into the last carcass examined, crossed
to the other side of the line, and examined the
right front flippers as he returned to the
carcass with which he began. Examination of
about 100 seals in 10 minutes was followed by
a wait of 15 minutes, after which the worker
repeated the procedure, beginning with the last
carcass he had marked. During the 15-minute
interval, the tag- recovery man examined loose
flippers at the carcass dumping site or assisted
the tooth collector.

Bull counts.-- The number of harem bulls
(adult males holding females) counted on the
Pribilof Islands has decreased eachyear since

1961 (fig. 7). The number of harem bulls de-
pends on the numerical strength of two other
herd elements- -idle or reserve bulls (males
age 7 and older without females) and producing
females. Decreases in the number of harem
bulls, however, are believed to be the result
of the reduction in the number of producing
females.

The number of idle bulls counted on land has
also been decreasing, following a sharp rise
from 1952 to 1960 (fig, 7), The decline in idle
bulls has been caused by extensive killing of
recent year classes through longer seasons
and increases in the maximum size of seals
taken.

The counts of bulls in 1965 are given by
island and by rookery in appendix table 10,
and all counts of bulls since 1911 are presented
in appendix table 11.

Females

The maximum sustained yield of sealskins
should occur when the number of breeding
females is at some level below its natural
peak. For this reason, large numbers of fe-
males were purposely killed on the Pribilof
Islands from 1956 through 1963 to reduce the
population from the peak reached by about
1940 to a lower and more productive level.
Additional females were taken in 1964 and

Figure 5. — Biological assistant taking tooth samples, byproducts plant, St. Paul
Island, 1965 (photo by Harry W. May).

H

^1

9k

"

m^M

i

* i

1

HHH^H

Figure 6. — Biologist examining seals for tags and checkmarks, byproducts plant,
St. Paul Island, 1965 (photo by Harry W. May).

14

U)

mio

CO

is

<
en

O

X

/

o o HAREM BULLS

X X IDLE BULLS

J L

1950 '51 '52 '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 '59 '60 '61 '62 '63 '64 '65

YEARS

Figure 7. — Counts of harem and idle bulls, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1950-55 and 1957-65.

1965 to maintain the population at the level
achieved.

A total of 10,432 females were taken from
the hauling grounds of the Pribilof Islands in
1965. Of these, 3,868 were taken during the
kill of male seals 7 July to 9 August and 6,564
during the special kill of females 16-27
August. The female seals killed in 1965 are
classified by age in appendix tables 12, 13, 14,
and 15. Year class contributions to the kill of
females are given in table 4, and the percentage
age composition of females sampled from the
kills on the Pribilof Islands in 1958-65 are
presented in table 5.

Once the females attain sexual maturity and
join the breeding element of the herd, they are
subjected to bite wounds from the harem bulls.
The resulting scars lessen the commercial
value of their skins. Most of the females are
initially exposed to scarring at age 5 or 6, when
they enter the rookeries to give birth to their
first pup. The skins from females age 5 and

younger, therefore, are more valuable than
those from females age 6 and older.

In addition to being relatively free of scars,
females age 5 and younger usually have black
or a mixture of black and white vibrissae. By
comparison, most females age 6 and older have
white vibrissae. Thus, females having the most
valuable skins can be selected for killing on the
Pribilof Islands on the basis of vibrissal color.
In 1965, selection was practiced on St. Paul
Island 23-27 August; 88 percent of thefemales
taken were age 5 and younger. On St. George
Island, where selection was not practiced 16-27
August, only 64 percent of the females killed
were age 5 and younger.

Tag Recoveries and Tagging

Tagging provides marked seals needed for
making estimates of the population and fur-
nishes seals of known age and origin of birth
for studies of age and growth, distribution at

Table A. — Kill of female seals, by year class, ^ Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1939-64-

Year
class

Age in years

10

1939 . . .
1940...
1941...
1942...
1943 . . .
1944...
1945 . . .
1946...
1947...
1948 . . .
1949 . . .
1950...
1951...
1952 . . .
1953...
1954...
1955...
1956...
1957...
1958 . . .
1959...
I960..,
1961...
1962...
1963 . . .
1964...

10

150
76
27

120

37

7

26

12

1
132

11
601
281

79
508
431
724
390
172

30

17

8

16

2,132

1,150

11,468

2,072

352

4,651

4,563

2,979

3,434

1,384

4

4

1

84

34

92

85

6,422

5,806

8,493

7,285

614

6,912

8,683

8,044

3,409

2,629

3

4

4

37

75

161

210

4,618

11, 465

4,056

3,771

1,047

4,520

6,303

8,697

3,626

1,121

12

11

8

60

84

94

118

2,949

6,343

3,408

2,958

683

4,810

3,444

4,080

1,914

621

15

8

9

45

54

46

77

2,155

4,031

1,328

3,515

493

3,057

2,869

1,859

592

383

16

13

10

57

43

11

48

1,766

3,550

654

1,958

526

2,843

2,809

97

42

33

7

7

41

43

11

38

1,136

3,120

559

1,289

492

3,127

2,247

68

34

16

17
15
15
39
36
10
27
762

1,773
678

1,173
345

2,292

1,687
87
51
16

■'■ Includes pelagic research kill of the United States and Canada, 1958-65. In addition to the
above kill, 50,541 females age 11 and older, 19,978 females age 8 and older, and 6,261 unclassi-
fied females were taken.

Table 5. — Percentage age composition of female seals sampled from the kills, Pribilof Islands,

Alaska, 1958-65

Year and Island

Age in years

10

10+

1958:

St. Paul

St. George....

1959:

St. Paul

St. George....

1960:

St. Paul

St. George....

1961:

St. Paul

St . George . . . .

1962:

St. Paul:

July-August .

September. . .
St. George....

1963:

St. Paul:

July-August.

September. . .
St . George . . . .

196<;:

St. Paul

St. George....

1965:

St. Paul

St. George....

37
20

10
11

2
12

5

7

10

21
29

25

29
22

25
20

1^
9

16
15

26

9

2A-

13
17

1^
14

23
20

10
10

15
13
lA-

11
13

11

10

U
12

11
10

6

10

12
13

10

10
5

Age in years

18
14
23

22
24

44
31

21
17
18

23
28

15
18

10

8

10

13
10

5
14

4
5
4

4
2

8+

41
46
33

14
5

3

14

4
6

7
9

17
19

12
24

28
27

23
35
25

sea, homing tendency, and commercial value
of skins by age and sex. Fur seal pups of both
sexes have been tagged and checkmarked
nearly every year on St. Paul Island since 1947
and on St. George Island since 1956. Yearling
fur seals, primarily males, were first tagged
in 1961. This section gives the number of tags
and marks recovered from male and female
seals killed on the Pribilof Islands in 1965
and discusses the techniques that were used in
tagging and marking pups and in selecting
yearlings for tagging on St. Paul Island.

Tag recoveries.-- Tagged seals killed in
1965 were taken only if within the limits set

for killing all seals. The limits for taking
males on both Islands were from 42,0 inches
(106.7 cnn.) long to, but not including, those
with nnanes. All females driven with the males
were taken. During the special kill of females
on St. Paul Island 23-27 August, only those with
black or mixed black and white vibrissae were
killed. All females driven during the special
kill of females on St. George Island 16-27
August were taken, regardless of vibrissal
color. Possibly a few of the 65 tagged seals
taken on St. Paul for studies of fur value by
age and sex were outside the prescribed
limits.

10

A total of Z,736 tags were recovered from
male seals in ages 2-10, and 1,508 check-
marks were recorded from males that had
lost their tags (table 6),

A total of 463 tags were recovered from
females in ages 2-17, and 240 checkmarks
were recorded from females in ages 2-6.
Checkmarks from females age 7 and older
were not recorded because each of the four
front flipper marks used since 1953 (app.
table 18) has been repeated every fourth year.
Thus, the location and type of checkmarks on
females age 7 and older may be identical on
animals of different ages. Checkmarked
females (as well as males) 2 and 6 years old
can be separated on the basis of body size.

A total of 238 seals selected as yearlings
on the basis of body length and double-tagged
on St. Paul Island in 1961 (M-series), 1962
(N- series), and 1963 (O-series) were recovered
on the Pribilof Islands in 1965 (table 7).

Thirty-six seals tagged by the U.S. S.R. were
killed on the Pribilof Islands in 1965 (table 8
and app. table 16).

Tagging and marking of pups. --Pups were
not tagged or marked on St. George Island in
1965.

On St. Paul Island, 30,000 pups were tagged
and marked, or marked only, as follows:
(1) Tags were attached to the left front flipper
of 10,000 pups between the fourth and fifth
digits, and a V-notch checkmark was cut into
the leading edge of the same flipper with
veterinary ear-notching instruments; (2) 10,080
pups were marked only by removing the tip
of the first digit (big toe) of the right hind
flipper at the web; and (3) 10,007 pups were
marked only by cutting a V-notch into the
leading edge of the right front flipper. The
tagging and marking were completed in 8 days
by 1 1 men. Example of tag and mark locations
used on fur seal pups are illustrated in figure 8.

The veining chisels formerly used to make
the V-notch checkmarks were replaced in 1962
with veterinary ear-notching instruments. The
latter tool is superior because it is easier to
use, does not require a surface such as wood
to cut against, is adjustable for horizontal
depth of cut, and remains sharp during thou-
sands of cuts; furthermore, it makes con-
sistently good marks such as that shown in
figure 9, whereas the veining chisels tended
to slip off the edge of the flipper and leave
only a faint and unrecognizable checkmark.
Figure 10 illustrates a few of the checkmarks
made by veterinary ear-notching instruments
in 1962 and recovered from tagged 3-year-
old males in 1965. Of 279 tagged seals ex-
amined, 266 had checkmarks that were easily
recognizable; only 13 of the tagged seals did
not have recognizable checkmarks.

All tags used since 1952 have been attached
to front flippers, and most have been attached

to the front flipper at the hairline (fig. 8);
however, in 1964, a new tagging site lopated
between the fourth and fifth digits (fig. 8) was
used for half (10,000) of the pups tagged. The
new site was used on all pups tagged in 1965
to lessen damage by tagging. The effective-
ness of the new tagging site is not yet known.

The number of pups tagged in 1965 is listed
in appendix table 17 by rookery, and a record
of pups tagged on the Pribilof Islands since
1941 is given in appendix table 18.

Tagging of yearlings.-- The methods used
to select and tag yearlings in 1965 were nearly
the same as in 1962 and 1963. The upper
length limit was reduced from 37.5 inches
(95 cm.) to 35.0 inches (89 cm.) for females
after the second day of tagging in 1965 to
prevent selection of females older than age 1
for tagging. Body length has proved to be a
good basis for selecting yearling males; it is
not suitable for identifying yearling females,
however (see section on estimates based on
recoveries of tags applied to yearlings), be-
cause of the greater overlap in lengths among
1-, 2-, and even 3-year-old females. Anupper
body-length limit of 39.5 inches (100 cm.) has
been used successfully to separate yearling
males from older males. The length-frequency
distributions of known-age yearling males
tagged as pups and males selected as yearlings
on the basis of body length are similar (fig. 11);
the mean lengths of the two differ by only 1
cm. (table 9).

The surveys for known-age yearlings tagged
as pups, begun in 1963, were discontinued in
1965 because it was impossible to tag yearlings
and make surveys during the same period.
Also, no apparent way existed to standardize
the survey work from year to year.

Most of the yearlings found in 1965 were
on hauling grounds on Zapadni Reef and south
of Sea Lion Neck.

In previous years, the hauling ground areas
most used by yearlings were examined in 1 day.
In 1965, however, seals were so abundant on
the hauling grounds that it was impossible to
examine all areas in less than 2 days. Possibly
weather caused more animals to be on the
hauling grounds in 1965 than in other years.
The weather during tagging was windy with
occasional snow. The relation between weather
and the location of yearlings, however, is not
clear.

Six men tagged 991 yearlings in 7-1/2 days
in 1965 (app. table 19).

Pup Mortality

The number of dead pups counted in 1965
was 181 percent of the number counted in
1964 on St. Paul Island and 219 percent on
St. George Island. The counts for both Islands
are illustrated in figure 12 for 1950-65 and
given in detail in appendix table 20 for 1941-65.

11

Table 6. — Summary of tagged and lost- tag seals recovered, by age .and sex, Pribilof Islands,

Alaska, 1965

Series

Age

Tagged seals

St. Paul
Island

St. George
Island

Combined
total

Lost-tag seals

St. Paul
Island

St. George
Island

Combined
total

Grand
total

P

0

N

M

L

K

rl ••••■• 4

Total.

P..

0..
N..
M..
L..
K..
J..
I..
H..
G..
E..

Total.

Years

2
3

5
6
7
8
10

2

3

K

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

13

P

0

N

M* ••■••<

Total.

P.

0.

N.

M.

L.

K.

J.

H.

E...

B.

2

3

5

6

7

8

10

13

17

53

1,393

730

73

11

2

1

1

2,26-;

9

17

15

20

8

2

7

1

2

Total.

81

6
4

10

10

83

92

14

3

2

1

2

2

1

210

7 July to 9 August
Males

5

262

150

13

3

433

58

1,655

880

86

14

2

1

1

2,697

Females

57

748

534

87

3

1

10

20

16

20

8

3

7

1

2

5

23

1

87

16-27 August
Males

11
27

1

1,430

13

9

17

12

3

3
29
28

9

1

70

60

777

562

96

4

1

54

4

1

1,500

13

9

17

12

3

54

29

44
70
37
13
2

39

Females

166

10

127

162

51

16

4

1

2

2

1

376

32
46
45
38

32
55
53
44
2

118

2,432

1,442

182

18

3

1

1

4,197

13

9

27

32

19

20

8

3

7

1

2

161

25

186

141

16
29

1
1

47

42

182

215

95

18

4

1

2

2

1_

562

12

Table 7. — Tag recoveries in 1965 from seals selected and tagged as yearlings,

Prlbilof Islands, Alaska

Age when:

St. Paul Island

St. George Island .

Total

Series

Tagged

Recovered

teles

Females

Males

Females

teles

Females

Vi

Years

1
2

1

2

Unknown^

1

2

Unknown ■"■

1
2

1

2

Unknown ■"■

Years

5
6

4

5

3

4

4
5

3
4

Number

mi

1
1

Number Number Number
e kill (7 July to 9 August)

■Number

1
1

Number

Total

2

72

7

2

1

2

74

1
7

N

""*■"""■*""" —

Tn+al

79

119

8
8

3

11

82

130
8
8

0. . . .

Total

135

I

11
(16-27 Ajgi

146

N. . .

'emale kill
2

ISt)

1

3

Total

1

2

1
1

2

3

1
1
1

0

1

1
1

Total

1

2

1

1

2

3

■"■ Tags were recovered but the canine teeth for determining age were not.

CHECKMARKS

Table 8. — Summary of Soviet tags recovered
from the kill, Pribilof Islands, Alaska,
1965

■Age

St. Paul
Island

St. George
Island

tele

Female

tele

Female

Years
2

Number

5

15

1

5

Number
2

1

Number

4
3

Number

3

4

5

7

Total

26

3

7

TAGGING SITES

FRONT FLIPPER

ILLUSTRATION SHOWING TAGS CLINCHED AT THE HAIRLINE AND
BETWEEN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH DIGITS. ALSO SHOWN ARE TWO
CHECKMARKS, A V-NOTCH NEAR THE TIP AND THE TIP SLICED OFF,

HIND FLIPPER
ILLUSTRATION SHOWING A FLIPPER CHECKMARKED BY REMOVING
ABOUT TWO INCHES OF THE BIG TOE OR FIRST DIGIT

Figure 8. — Examples of tag and mark locations that have
been used since 1940 on fur seal pups, Prlbilof Islands,
Alaska.

13

Figure 9. — V-notch mark applied to pups and used sub-
sequently to identify age when the seal has lost its tag,
or was V-notched only. This mark was photographed
soon after it was made with a veterinary ear-notching
instrument.

UJ
S 80

- KNOWN-AGE MALES
■SELECTED MALES

560 370 SBO

LENGTH (INCHES)

Figure 11, — Body lengths of known-age yearling males
and males selected as yearlings on the basis of body
length, St. Paul Island, 1965.

^'ift«>^

Figure 10. — V-notch checkmarks applied to pups in 1962
with veterinary ear-notching instruments and recovered
from tagged 3-year-old males in 1965. Of 279 check-
marks examined, 95 percent were similar to those in
the top row, and 5 percent resembled those in the bottom
row. Examination of thousands of seals has shown that
the marks in the top row cannot be confused with acces-
sory or naturally occurring marks. The marks in the
bottom row would not have been recognized if the seals
had not been tagged; these marks are assumed to be
checkmarks.

Pup Weights

Seal pups have been weighed on St. Paul
Island annually about 1 September since 1957
to determine if body weight of untagged pups
in autumn is related to survival. A consistent
relation would be useful in predicting the
returns (kill) from a year class. The data
obtained to date are discussed in appendix A.

The weighing program has also provided
information on the effects of tagging and mark-
ing pups. Each year since 1957, untagged and
unmarked pups have been heavier than tagged
and marked pups 1 or 2 weeks after tagging
(app. table 21). The mean weights of untagged
and unmarked males and females in 1965 were
1.14 and 1.04 kg. more than tagged and marked
males and females. This difference in weight
may cause tagged and marked pups to die at
a greater rate than untagged and unmarked
pups during their first winter at sea. If true,
then subsequent estimates of the population
based on recoveries of tags and marked seals
are inflated.

The tip of the big toe or first digit (fig. 10)
on the right hind flipper of each of 10,080
pups was removed as part of the pup tagging

Table 9. — Sunmary of data from tagging of yearlings, St. Paul Island, 1965

Males

Females

Item

Tagged
as pups-*^

Untagged

Total

Tagged
as pups'''

Untagged

Total

Number tagged

Mean length ( cm. ) ^

6A-
93

809
94-

873

5
90

113
90

118

Animals bearing tags or checkmarks applied In year of birth.

Length was taken to nearest half inch, then converted to centimeters.

14

100

u.

w

J 60

350 -
O

>■ BOTH ISLANDS

/

^2 UNTAGGED AND UNMARKED

IB MARKED ONLY

E3 TAGGED AND CHECKMARKED

62 63 64 65

Figure 12. — Counts of dead pups, Pribllof Islands, Alaska,
1950-51 and 1953-65.

and marking program on St. Paul Island in
1965. Untagged pups v^ith this mark weighed
more than tagged and marked pups but less
than untagged and unmarked pups on two of
the four rookeries where pups were weighed
(fig. 13 and app. table 22). On Zapadni Reef
and Polovina rookeries, untagged pups bearing
the first digit mark were lighter than tagged
and marked or untagged and unmarked pups.
An analysis of variance test adjusted for dis-
proportionate subclass sizes showed that the
interaction for rookeries versus type of mark
was significant (P<0.01). The main effects
were not tested because of the significant
interaction. On all rookeries, untagged and
unmarked seals were heavier than tagged and
marked seals or seals with marks only, and
males were heavier than females.

The use of scales that were too sensitive
to the movement of pups during weighing has
been a constant problem since the weighing
began. In 1957 and 1958, a metal cone for
holding the pups was attached to a dial spring
scale suspended from a wooden tripod. The
spring scale, however, was too sensitive to
movement of the pups, and the cone caused
the pups to move considerably in their attempts
to escape. Both problems were partially solved
in 1959 by putting the pups in burlap bags
sewed to construction-steel hoops and placing
the bag containing the pup on a platform scale.
Though the platform scale had no dampeners,
it was less sensitive than the spring scale to
movement of the pups, and the pups were less
inclined to struggle when confined in the bag.
The bags, however, changed in weight as they
dried or absorbed rainwater. Frequent weigh-
ing of the bags and corresponding adjustments
of the scale eliminated much of the error from
this source. In 1963 and 1964, the same plat-
form scale was used, but the pups were placed
in 20-gallon plastic garbage cans. The pups
tended to move more when in this container

VOSTOCHNI AND
MORJOVI

REEF POLOVINA

ROOKERIES

Figure 13. — Mean weights of seal pups about 1 Septennber,
St. Paul Island, 1965.

than when confined in the burlap bags. The
method of holding the pups, therefore, was
changed in 1965 and a new platform scale,
with dampeners, was used. One man stood
on the scale and held each pup during weigh-
ing, a method that effectively eliminated move-
ment of the pups. The weight of the man was
recorded after each series of 25 weighings,
for later subtraction.

Barricades for holding small groups of pups
for weighing have been used each year, and
weighed pups have been released 50-75 feet
from the site of weighing so that they would
not be weighed twice. Weights were recorded
to the nearest 0.2 kg. from 1957-64 and to
the nearest 0.5 kg. in 1965.

Population Estimates

This section presents estimates of the popu-
lation based on the most recent data. Methods
used and sources of data have been described
by: Roppel, Johnson, Bauer, Chapman, and
Wilke (1963); Roppel, Johnson, and Chapman
(1965); and Roppel, Johnson, Anas, and
Chapman (1965).

Estimates based on tag recoveries.-- The
number of pups born, as estimated from tag
recoveries (includes tagged and lost-tag seals)
from both sexes, are presented in tables 10
through 14. To show within- season variability,
the data were divided into 5-day periods and
estimates were based on recoveries from 3-
and 4-year-old males for each period (table
12), No apparent reason exists for the much
greater variability in estimates based on re-
coveries from 4-year-old males. Estimates
based on recoveries from females show con-
siderable year-to-year variation and generally
are much lower than estinnates based on re-
coveries from males. For these reasons the
data for the sexes have not been combined.

15

Table lO.r-Estimatee of the pup population based on tag recoveries from males, year classes

1960-63, Pribllof Islands, Alaska
[ n = males killed from each year class; t=tags applied to each year class; s = tag recoveries
from males from each year class; N= estimate of year-class size at time of tagging]

Year class

Killed 7 July to
9 August 1965
(n)

Tagged
(t)

Tag

recoveries

(s)

Population

estimate

(N)

1960,
1961.
1962.
1963.

Number

1,418
14,638
22,745

1,431

Number

59,981
49,921
49, 908
24,971

Number

182
^ 1,524
^ 2,544

118

Nunber

465, 106
479,218
4^6,063
300, 503

■"■ Lost-tag recoveries on St. George Island were corrected by the ratio of lost-tag to tagged
pups observed on St. Paul Island.

Table 11. — Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries from 3- and 4-year-old males,

year classes 1958-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska

[n=3- and 4-year-old males killed from each year class; t = tags applied to each year class;
s= tag recoveries from 3- and 4-year-old males from each year class; N = estimate
of year-class size at time of tagging ]

Year class

Killed at ages

3 and 4

(n)

Tagged
(t)

Tag

recoveries
(s)

RDpulation

estimate

(N)

1958.
1959.
1960.
1961.
1962^

Nujtoer

74,890
48,596
31,059
43,465
22,745

Nunfcer

49,917
49,881
59,981
49,921
49,908

Nunteer

5,409
3,324
3,279
4,432
2,544

Number

691,018
729,057
568,000
489,490
446,063

Age 3 only.

Table 12. — Estimates of the pup population based on tag recoveries from 3- and 4-year-old males,
by 5-day periods, year classes 1961-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska

[n= males killed each period; t = tags applied to year class; s = tag recoveries each pericjd;
N= estimate of year-class size at time of tagging]

Age 3 (year class 1962)

Age 4 (year class 1961)

Date

Killed
(n)

Tagged
(t)

Tag
recoveries'''

(s)

Population

estimate

(N)

Killed

(n)

Tagged
(t)

Tag
recoveries-''
(s)

Pcjpulation
estimate

(N)

July:

7-11

12-16

17-21

22-26

27-31

Aug:

1-5

6-9

Number

1,576
1,904
2,941
3,842
4,487

3,713
4,282

Nunfcer
49,908

Nunfcer

193
207
316
410
483

440
495

Number

405,704
457,099
463, 193
466, 667
462,793

420,322
430,968

Number

2,587
2,236
2,526
2,381
2,304

1,545
1,059

Number
49, 921

Number

243
194
294
234
219

159
181

Numhe'T

529, 501
572,695
427,637
506,018
523,046

482,371
290,755

Total

22,745

2,544

446,063

14, 638

1,524

479,218

•'• Lost-tag recoveries on St; George Island were corrected by the ratio of lost- tag to tagged pups
observed on St. Paul Island.

16

Table 13. — Estimates of the pup population
based on tag recoveries, year classes
1951-63, Pribilof Islands, Alaska

Year
class

Pups alive

at time of

tagging

Dead

pups

coionted

Pups
bom

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

Number

484,000
529,000
704,000
727,000
778,000
872,000
637,000
691,000
729,000
568, 000
489,000
446,000
^ 301,000

Number

86,000
87,000
91,000

111, 000
90,000

120,000
75, 000
38,000
49,000
75,000
71, 000
54,000
39,000

Number

570,000
616,000
795,000
838, 000
868,000
992,000
712,000
729,000
778,000
643,000
560, 000
500, 000
340, 000

A preliminary estimate based on tag
recoveries at age 2 only.

The number of pups born, as estimated from
tag recoveries, has decreased steadily from
778,000 in 1959 to 340,000 in 1963 (table 13).

Estinnates of the number of yearling males
are available for the 1961 and 1962 year classes
(table 15). These animals were tagged as
yearlings in late September and October of
1962 and 1963. The errors in selection (by
length) of yearling males for tagging, calcu-
lated from age of animals taken later in the
kill, were 2.9 and 5.5 percent for the 1961 and
1962 year classes, respectively. Age was de-
termined for 346 tagged males recovered from
the 1961 year class and 199 tagged males re-

covered from the 1962 year class. The esti-
mates based on recoveries at ages 2, 3, and 4
increased with the increase in age. The reason
for the increase is not known. The recoveries
from females are too few to provide a basis for
estimates.

Estimates based on sampling live pups.--
The methods used in shearing and sampling
pups on St. Paul Island were described by
Roppel, Johnson, and Chapman (1965), and
Roppel, Johnson, Anas, and Chapman ( 1965).

A total of 25,868 pups were sheared on St.
Paul Island in 1965. As in previous years, the
shearing and sampling nnethod was tested for
consistency of results by sannpling the pups on
each rookery twice, and obtaining ratios of
sheared to unsheared seals from groups of 25
pups each time. The resulting estimates- -
208,468 and 200,82 1- -were similar (table 16).
An additional estimate of 247,960 was nnadeby
finding the ratio of sheared to unsheared pups
in groups of 100 on all rookeries (table 17).

The accuracy of estimates obtained from
sampling live pups was checked by making total
counts on three small rookeries and part of a
large one (table 18), The estimates based on
sampling by groups of 25 usually were lower
than the total counts. The estimates based on
sampling by groups of 100, however, were
higher than the counts on the small rookeries
but lower than the count on the large rookery.
The mean of the three estimates (two based on
samples of 25 and one on samples of 100) was
in good agreennent with the counts for the
smaller areas, but was only 86 percent of the
count on the large area. The number of pups
born, as estimated by the two sampling
methods, is given by rookery in table 19. When
corrected by the average difference between
estimates and counts (estimate = 91.3 percent
of the count), the nnean of the three estimates
gives 247,500 as the number of pups alive on

Table 14. — Estimates of the pup pcjpulation based on tag recoveries from females, year classes

1960-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska .

[n=femalee killed from each year class; t=tags applied to each year class; s=tag recoveries from
each year class; N=estimate of year-class size at time of tagging]

Year class

Females killed

16-27 August

(n)

Tagged
(t)

Tag
recover! es-"-
16-27 August

(s)

Population
estimate

(N)

1960

1961

Number

1,089
2,556
1,336

Number

59,981
49,921
49,908

Number

189
241
197

Number

344, 107
527 482

1962

337,012

Lost-tag recoveries on St. George Island were corrected by the ratio of lost-tag to tagged
pups observed on St. Paul Island.

17

Table 15. — Estimates of the yearling male population based on tags recovered from seals selected
and tagged as yearlings, year classes 1961-62, Pribilof Islands, Alaska

[n= males killed each year from the year class; s = tag recoveries in each year; t = tags applied
to yearling males of each year class; N = estimate of yearling males in each year class]

Year

Age

Males
killed

(n)

Tag
recoveries

(s)

Yearling

males

tagged

(t)

Estimate of
yearling
males
(N)

1961 year class, N-series tags:

1963

1964

1965

Pooled

1962 year class, 0-series tag:

1964 ,

1965

Pooled

Years

2
3
4

Number

2,019
28,827
14,638
45,484

2,726

22,745
25,472

Number

44
227

81
352

42
138

180

Number
603

520

Number

27,113
76,369

107,829
77,827

33, 041
85,257
73,323

Table 16. — Estimates of the pup population based on marked-to-unmarked ratios obtained by
sampling groups of 25 after shearing, year class 1965, St. Paul Island

Pups
sheared

First sampling period,
3-4 August

Second sampling period,
12-13 August

Rookery

Samples

Sheared

to

total

counted

Estimated
pup popu-
lation at
time of
shearing

Samples

Sheared

to

total

counted

Estimated
pup popu-
lation at
time of
shearing

Mean
of two
esti-
mates

Number

2,060
3,559

316

660
1,963

714
4,311
2,217
2,705

612
1,461
2,982
1,647

661

Number

Ratio

245/1900
397/3200

40/250

73/775
187/1800

7V625
517/3925
185/1300
266/2450

69/525
171/1350
439/3250
261/2050

57/450

Number

15,976
28,687

1,975

7,007
18,895

6,285
32,729
15,579
24,914

4,657
11,534
22,076
12, 936

5,218

Number

50

105

9

13

56

15
100

40
106

12

34
105

75

17

Ratio

144/1250
318/2625

21/225

60/325
151/1400

45/375
302/2500
145/1000
283/2650

31/300
111/850
279/2625
197/1875

53/425

Number

17,882
29,378

3,386

3,575
18,200

5,950
35,687
15, 290
25,330

5,923
11, 188
28,056
15,676

5,300

Number

Gorba"tch

76

128

10

31

72

25

157

52

98

21

54

130

82

18

16 929

Reef

29 032

Ardlguen

2,680
5 291

Polovlna Cliffs..
Little Polovlna. .

Vostochnl

Mor iovi

18,548

6,118

34, 208

15 434

Tolstoi

25 122

T.ulcanln. ........*

5 290

Kltovl

Zapadnl

Little Zapadnl.. .
Zapadnl Reef

11,361

25,066

14, 306

5,259

Total

25,868

954

208,468

737

220,821

214,644

18

Table 17. — Estimates of the pup population based on marked-to-unmarked ratios obtained by
sampling groups of 100 after shearing, year class 1965, St. Paul Island

Rookery

Pups
sheared

Samples
of 100
pups

Sheared
to total

pups
sampled

Estimated pup

population

at time of

shearing

Gorbatch

Reef

Number

2,060
3,559

316

660
1,963

714
4,311
2,217
2,705

612
1,461
2,982
1,647

661

Number

11
17

2

6
12

7
24
21
16

4

8
13

9

4

Ratio

117/1100

162/1700

42/200

85/600

135/1200

57/700

268/2400

260/2100

143/1600

48/400

90/800

125/1300

86/900

46/400

Number '

19,368
37,348

Ardiguen

1,505
4,659

Polovina Cliffs

17,449

T.I "t.+ l (=> Pol ovi na

8,768
38,606

VoR+.oohni .........■..■■.■

Mot lovi ........*..■•••■■•

■'■ 17,907

Tol s+,ol ...•••••

30, 266

T-iiVanT n. ..........■•.•••.

5,100

Vi •t.nvi ......■•.••■

12, 987

Zapadnl

Little Zapadni

31,013
17, 236

5,748

25,868

154

247,960

Estimate for Morjovi, excluding south point of rookery is 17,034.

Table 18. — A comparison of counts and estimates of the pup population on four rookeries, year

class 1965, St. Paul Island

1 "

Total
count

Pups estimated from:

Rookery

First sample'''

Second sample^

Third sample^

Mean of
■three samples

Kitovi Amphitheatre...

Little Polovina

Mot lovl •.■•......■■.■

1,248

7,314

18,384

5,383

Number

1,403

6,285

14, 714

5,218

Percent

of

count

112.4
85.9
80.0
96.9

Number

911

5,950

14,434

5,300

Percent

of

count

73.0
81.4
78.5
98.4

Number

1,360

8,768

17, 034

5,748

Percent

of

count

109.0

119.9

92.7

106.8

Number

1,225

7,001

15,874

5,422

Percent

of

count

98.2
95.7
86.3

Zanadni Reef -.

100.7

Total

32,329

27,620

85.4

26,595

82.3

32,910

101.8

29,522

91.3

Based on samples of 25 pups, 3-4 August.
Based on samples of 25 pups, 12-13 August.
Based on samples of 100 pups, 2-11 August.
Excluding point scju'th of Sea Lion Neck.

19

Table 19. — Estimates of the pup population based on marked -to-unmarked ratios obtained by saJH)llng
live pups after shearing, year class 1965, St. Paul Island

■'■ Based on sanples of 25 pups, 3-4 August.
^ Based on sanples of 25 pups, 12-13 August.
■^ Based on sanples of 100 pups, 2-11 August.

Pups estimated from:

Mean of

three
sairples

Bookery

First
sanple-"-

Second
sample^

Third
saBple^

Gorbatch

Number

15,976
28,687

1,975

7,007
18,895

6,285
32,729
15,579
24,914

4,657
11, 534
22,076
12,936

5,218

Number

17,882
29,378

3,386

3,575
18,200

5,950
35,687
15,290
25,330

5,923
11, 188
28,056
15,676

5,300

Number

19,368

37,348

1,505

4,659

17,449

8,768

38,606

17,907

30,266

5,100

12, 987

31,013

17,236

5,748

Number

T7.7A?

Reef "

31,804

2,289

5,080

18,181

7,001

35,674

16,258

26,837

5,227

11,903

27,048

15,283

5,422

Ardiguen

Polovina

Polo Vina Cliffs

Little Polovina

Vostochni

M^r jovi •••..

Tolstoi

Lukanin

Kitovi

Little Zapadni

Zapadni Reef

Total

208,468

220,821

247,960

225,749

St. Paul Island at the time of shearing in 1965.
The uncorrected estimates for year classes
1961-65 for St. Paul Island are given in table
20.

An estimate of the total number of pups born
on both Islands may be obtained by adding
247,500 to 30,000 (estimated mortality prior to
the time of shearing), and extending the result
(277,500) by dividing by 0.8, the proportion of
Pribilof Islands harem bulls counted on St. Paul
Island. This calculation gives 347,000 as the
total number of pups born on both Islands in
1965.

Discussion of population estimates.- - The
nunnber of pups born, as estimated from tag
recoveries, has been decreasing steadily since
1959. Estimates based on tag recoveries, how-
ever, are about 150,000 higher than the esti-
mates based on marking and sampling of live
pups in the year of birth. The variability in the
estimates based on tag recoveries by 5-day
periods was not excessivefor 3-year-old males
but was considerable for 4-year-old males. In

recent years estimates based on tag recoveries
have shown less year-to-year variability than
in the mid-1950's. Apparently, the factors that
caused the highly variable and inflated esti-
mates of the middle- 1950's (Roppel, Johnson,
and Chapman, 1965) are being eliminated.

There is some year-to-year variability in
the nunnber of pups born, as estimated from
marking and sampling of live pups in the year
of birth,' but little variability within a year. The
accuracy of the estimates, as checked by com-
parison with total counts, is satisfactory. Gen-
erally, the estimates are probably slightly low
even though corrected for the difference be-
tween counts and estimates. This bias comes
from the disproportionately large represen-
tation of small areas where total counts of
live pups are made. The total estimate of
347,000 born in 1965 nnay, therefore, be
slightly low.

The estimated number of yearling males for
the 1961 and 1962 year classes are of the same
general magnitude and fit reasonably well with
other data.

20

Table 20. — Estimates ■"■ of the pup population at the time^ of shearing or tagging, from marked-to-
unmarked ratios, year classes 1961-65, St. Paul Island

Fiookery

Year classes

1961^

1962^

1963''

1964"^

iges"*

Reef, Gorbatoh, Ardiguen..
Polovina, Polovina Cliffs.

Little Polovina

Vostochni, Morjovi

Tolstoi

Little Zapadni

Zapadni, Zapadni Reef

Lukanin, Kitovi

Number

85,700
21,600
7,500
47,<;00
3<i,800
18, 900
38,000
22, 100

Number

52,800
22,900
7,200
36,700
19,300
19,200
33,600
11,900

Number

55,600
23,800
6,500
52,000
23,600
20,000
32,400
16,000

Number

65, 100
27,400
8,400
59, 800
25,400
17, 100
39, 900
19,200

Number

51,800
23,300
7,000
51,900
26,800
15,300
32,500
17, 100

Total 276,000

203,600 229,900 262,300 225,700

■"■ The estimates for some rookeries have been combined so that the estimates for each year are
conp arable.

^ Estimates do not include pups that died before shearing or tagging.
^ Pups marked by tagging.
'^ Pups marked by shearing.

REPRODUCTION

The testes of 250 seals were collected onSt.
Paul Island in June and July incidental to a
study of the age composition and territorial
behavior of harem bulls. Tissue sections have
been cut and stained with periodic acid Schiff's
reagent. Variation in diameter of seminiferous
tubules and in abundance of sperm are being
studied. No investigation of spernnatogenesis in
the fur seal has been made in the Bureau's Ma-
rine Mammal Biological Laboratory, though
Kenyon, Scheffer, and Chapman (1954) reported
on the age of males at sexual nnaturity and the
potency rate among adults. Their information
was obtained from collaborators.

The genital tracts fronn 65 3-year-old and 51
4-year-old females taken in the kill 23-27
August on St. Paul Island were collected and
preserved for later study. None of the 3-year-
old fennales had given birth; one 4-year-old was
primiparous and recently post partum. This
sample is not necessarily representative of all
3- and 4-year-old females.

Thirty-one fennales were marked prior to,
or just after, copulation or parturition and
were killed at various dates thereafter . Physi-
ological changes in their ovaries will be
studied as an aid in interpreting the reproduc-
tive condition of fennales sannpled from the kill.

OTHER STUDIES

This section contains brief descriptions of
experinnental procedures or special studies
not discussed in the foregoing sections. Sub-
jects discussed include experimental skins,
radionuclides in seal teeth, seal behavior, and
rookery charts.

Experimental Skins

Skins of 517 fennales and 361 males were
collected on St, Paul Island to connplete a
collection begun in 1963 for a study of the
relation of sex and age to the connnnercial value
of sealskins. Skins collected for experimental
use since 1958 are listed in table 2 1 , In addi-
tion, 25 skins fronn males and 25 fronn females
were collected for a study of sealskin quality
being conducted by the North Pacific Fur Seal
Connmission, and 8 skins from nnales and 7
fronn females were sent to Japan,

In conference with a fur processor, a proce-
dure was developed for nnaintaining the identity
of experinnental skins throughout the involved
steps of factory processing. By this method, the
nunnbered plastic tube tag originally fastened
to each fresh skin on the killing field is re-
placed at the factory by a perforated symbol
applied to the cheek of the salted skin. Through

21

Table 21. — Sealskins collected for experimental
use, St, Paul Island, 1958 and 1961-65

Males

Females

Year

Ages

Nujiber

Ages

Number

1958

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

Years

2-4
3-6
2-7
4-8

9
142
641
361

Years

2-10

2-5

2-15

3-6

2-6

2-24

248
117
171
120
436
517

1965, the tube tags were fastened with monel
wire. The monel wire, however, reacted with
processing chemicals to produce a localized
greenish stain on the skin and nnake the guard
hair difficult to rennove. A nylon line will be
used for attaching tags in the future.

Skin samples from themidback of 48 fennales
were collected on St. Paul Island 9 Novennber
1964 to augment a study of 17 sannples des-
cribed by Scheffer and Johnson (1963). As ex-
pected, nnolt was most advanced in the younger
animals. Molt was ending or had ended in 10
seals age 3 and 4 and was in various stages near
nnidmolt in 15 seals, age 10 and older.

Radionuclides in Seal Teeth

In 1964, evidence of a radioactive substance
(strontiunn 90?) was found in the 1962-63 layer
of root substance of two fur seal teeth (Roppel,
Johnson, Anas, and Chapman, 1965). The right
upper canine teeth from 24 seals born in 1957
but killed in different years (2 males and 2
fennales at each of ages 1-6) were sectioned
in 1965 and placed on Kodak^ Nuclear Track
Plates, Type NTB2, 25 Microns, for 133 days.
All specimens had been taken at sea between
California and Alaska. The results were nega-
tive; autoradiographs did not appear on the
developed plates.

Seal Behavior

Richard S. Peterson studied the behavior of
fur seals on St. Paul Island, nnainly fromi an
observation hut on Kitovi Rookery, during the
sunnmers of 1961-63. His findings were re-
ported inadoctoral thesis (Peterson, 1965), one
page of which is reproduced as figure 14 of
this report.

Rookery Charts

Photocopies of 13 charts of the Pribilof
rookeries as they appeared in the sunnmer of

^Trade names referred to in this publication do not
imply endorsement of commercial products.

Figure 14.— Counts of territorial bulls, nursing females,
pups, and nonbreeders, average of 3 years, Kitovi
Rookery study area, St. Paul Island, 1961-63 (after
Peterson, 1965).

1897 were obtained from the National Archives.
The charts, which were based on a survey by
the Will Ward Duffield party, were published in
May-June 1898 as Coast and Geodetic Survey
Nos. 3215 to 3228 (except No. 3224, which is a
chart of St. George Island). Upon the photo-
copies will be entered the location of tripods,
catwalks, numbered rocks, camera stations,
and study plots (such as the plots for counting
dead pups).

We plan to photograph the Pribilof rookeries
from the air in mid-July 1967. The rookeries
were last photographed from the air in 1958.

SUMMARY
Males

1. of 41,268 male seals killed on the
Pribilof Islands in 1965, 40,367 were taken
during the kill of males from 7 July to 9 August
and 901 were taken during the kill of females
16-27 August. St. Paul Island supplied 34,112
seals and St. George Island, 7,156. Age clas-
sification of 33,632 males killed on St. Paul
Island was: age 2, 4 percent; age 3, 56 per-
cent; age 4, 36 percent; and age 5, 4 percent.
Age classification of 6,735 males killed on
St. George Island was: age 2, 2 percent; age
3, 56 percent; age 4, 38 percent; age 5, 3
percent; and age 6; 1 percent. Age was not
determined for 901 males killed on the Pribilof
Islands. Most of the male seals killed were
from 42 inches long (tip of nose to tip of tail)
up to, but not including, those having a mane.
The peak of the kill occurred 27-31 July when
6,032 males were taken on St. Paul Island.
The minimum length was removed 22-26 July
so that all available 2-year-old males could be
killed. The abundance of 2-year-old males on
land in late July may be related to return of
the year class the following year at age 3. A
total of 854 males older than those normally
taken were killed for testing the commercial
value of their skins.

2. The predicted kill of males on St, Paul
Island in 1965 included 33,000 of age 3 and

22

16,000 of age 4; actual kills to 9 August were
19,009 and 12,046, respectively. The predicted
kill of males on St. Paul Island in 1966 in-
cludes 3,000 of ages 2 and 5, 26,000 of age 3,
and 14,000 of age 4.

3, Harem and idle bulls counted 10-18 July
were 8,553 and 5,616 on St. Paul Island, and
1,917 and 1,113 on St. George Island.

Females

1. A total of 10,432 females were takenfrom
the hauling grounds of the Pribilof Islands in
1965--3,868 during the kill of males 7 July to
9 August and 6,564 during the kill of females
16-27 August. St. Paul Island contributed 7, 530,
and St. George Island, 2,902. Selective killing
for young females on St. Paul Island 23-27
August produced 3,435 (88 percent) in ages
2-5 and 456 age 6 and older. Nonselective
killing for young females on St. George Island
16-27 August produced 1,708 (64 percent) in
ages 2-5 and 965 age 6 and older.

2. Of 65 3-year-old females examined, none
had given birth; 1 of 51 4-year-old females
was primiparous and recently postpartum.

Tag Recoveries and Tagging

1. The kill in 1965 included 3,199 seals
tagged as pups and 1,748 with checkmarks
only. In addition, 36 Soviet-tagged seals were
taken, and 238 seals selected and tagged as
yearlings in previous years were recovered.

2. Ten thousand pups were tagged on the
left front flipper with an R-series tag, and a
V-notch checkmark was cut into the leading
edge of the same flipper near the tip. In addi-
tion, 10,080 pups were marked only by re-
nnoving the tip of the first digit (big toe) of the
right hind flipper, and 10,007 were marked
only by cutting a V-notch into the leading edge
of the right front flipper near the tip.

3. A total of 922 seals selected as year-
lings on the basis of body length were double-
tagged, one tag (IR-series) to each front
flipper; 69 yearlings tagged as pups in 1964
were recaptured in 1965 and given an additional
tag.

Pup Mortality

Counts of dead pups in late August were
41,080 on St. Paul Island and 5,228 on St.
George Island.

Pup Weights

Weights of 1,193 pups showed that untagged
and unmarked males and females weighed 1.14
and 1.04 kg. more than tagged and marked
males and females in 1965, Six hundred pups
that were marked only weighed less than un-
tagged and unmarked pups but more than
tagged and marked pups.

Population Estimates

1. On the basis of tag recoveries from
males and the number of dead pups counted on
the rookeries, 560,000 pups were born on the
Pribilof Islands in 1961 and 500,000 in 1962.

2. Including estimated mortality before
shearing, marked-to-unmarked ratios obtained
from shearing and sampling pups yielded an
estimate of 347,000 pups born on the Pribilof
Islands in 1965.

3. Estimates of the pup population for dif-
ferent year classes, based on tag recoveries
from females, were: year class 1960--344,
107; 1961--527, 482; and 1962-- 337,012,

4. On the basis of recoveries of seals tagged
as yearlings, yearling males were estimated
at 78,000 in 1961 and 85,000 in 1962,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research staff had the cooperation of
C. Howard Baltzo, Program Director; Howard
Euneau, St. Paul Island Manager; RoyD.Hurd,
St. George Island Manager; Bertel W. Johnson,
Management Staff Officer; and Richard A,
Hajny, Wildlife Management Biologist, Pribilof
Islands. Victor Misiken, Sealer III Foreman,
and Alex Melovidov, Sealer I Foreman, also
gave assistance.

LITERATURE CITED

KENYON, KARL W., VICTOR B. SCHEFFER,
and DOUGLAS G. CHAPMAN.
1954. A population study of the Alaska fur-
seal herd. Fish Wildl, Serv., Spec.Sci.
Rep. Wildl. 12, vi + 77 p.
PETERSON, RICHARD S,

1965. Behavior of the northern fur seal,
Johns Hopkins University, D.Sc, thesis,
214 p. [Processed.]
ROPPEL, ALTON Y., ANCEL M. JOHNSON,
RICHARD D. BAUER, DOUGLAS G.
CHAPMAN, and FORD WILKE.
1963. Fur seal investigations, Pribilof
Islands, Alaska, 1962. U.S. Fish Wildl.
Serv., Spec, Sci. Fep. Fish, 454,
vi + 101 p,
ROPPEL, ALTON Y., ANCEL M. JOHNSON,
and DOUGLAS G. CHAPMAN.
1965. Fur seal investigations, Pribilof Is-
lands, Alaska, 1963. U.S. Fish Wildl,
Serv., Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish. 497, v +60 p.
ROPPEL, ALTON Y., ANCEL M. JOHNSON,
RAYMOND E. ANAS, and DOUGLAS
G. CHAPMAN.
1965. Fur seal investigations, Pribilof Is-
lands, Alaska, 1964. U.S. Fish Wildl,
Serv,, Spec, Sci, Rep, Fish, 502, v + 46 p,
SCHEFFER, VICTOR B., and ANCEL M.
JOHNSON.
1963. Molt in the northern fur seal. U.S.
Fish Wildl. Serv., Spec. Sci. Rep. Fish.
450, iv + 34 p.

23

GLOSSARY

The following terms used in fur seal research
and management on the Pribilof Islands have
special meanings or are not readily found in
standard dictionaries.

Age Class. Age Group. Seals of the same age
(usually used when referring to seals older
than pups). See year class.

At Time of Tagging (or Sampling) Phrases
used to qualify estimates of the population
based on (1) tag returns at various ages
or (2) sampling for a marked-to-unmarked
ratio in the summer of birth. In either
situation, an estimate of the total number
of pups born in a given year would include
pups alive "at time of tagging" (or "samp-
ling") plus the number that died before
tagging or sampling.

Checkmark A notch, slit, hole, or other mark
made on a seal flipper when a tag is ap-
plied, to ensure later recognition of an
animal that has lost its tag. See marked,
lost tag, and tag-scar.

Clinch or Clinching The device or action by
which metal tags applied to seal flippers
are fastened. A metal point is inserted
through an opening in the opposite end
of the metal strip, then bent over a
narrow band to form a closed ring (or
tag).

Drive The act of surrounding and moving
groups of seals on land fronn one location
to another.

Escapement Seals that were not killed because
they were either too old, too large, or
were not available.

Female Kill That part of the annual harvest
devoted principally to the kill of fennale
seals, usually in August. See nnale kill.

General Breeding Season Organized breeding
beginning about mid-June and ending in
early August. Identifiable by the formation
of harems. A limited amount of breeding
also occurs after the breakup of the harem
structure.

Hauling Ground An area, usually near a rook-
ery, on which nonbreeding seals con-
gregate. See rookery.

Haul Out The act of seals moving from the sea
to a rookery or hauling ground on shore.

Homing Tendency The inclination of seals to
return to the rookery where they were
born- -that is, home rookery or rookery
of birth. Homing tendency is expressed as
a percentage by comparing the number of
tagged seals in a specific group that were
found on their natal rookery with the
number that were found on some other
rookery or island.

Known-age Applied to seals for which age is
definitely known because they bear an
inscribed tag or have a certain combina-
tion of tag- scar and checkmark.

Lost-tag A term applied to a seal that is
known to have been tagged because of a
checkmark and, in some, a healed tag
scar. See tag-scar.

Lost-tag-to-tag Ratio The number of seals
that have lost tags as compared with the
number retaining tags. Usually expressed
as a decimal fraction.

Male Kill That part of the annual harvest
devoted principally to the kill of male
seals, usually in late June, in July, and
in early August. See fennale kill.

Mane A secondary sex characteristic com-
posed of long, silver-colored guard hairs
on the shoulders and on back of the neck.
The mane appears on some males at age 5,
on most at age 6, and on all at age 7 and
older.

Marked Seals that have been tagged or sheared
so that they can be identified. Removal of
a hind flipper digit, cutting a V-notch in
the leading edge of a front flipper near
the tip, or slicing off the tip of a front
flipper are also examples of marking.
These marks, when applied to seals in
conjunction with tags, are considered
checkmarks. When applied alone, they are
considered as marks only. See check-
mark, lost-tag, and tag-scar.

Marked-to-unmarked Ratio The number of
marked seals compared with the number
of unmarked seals, usually expressed as a
decimal fraction. Example, 5:20, ratio
0.25.

Mixed Areas Areas behind some of the rook-
eries on which few seals appear until
August, or after the general breeding
season. Seals using these areas at that
time may be a mixture of animals from
traditional hauling grounds and from the
rookery.

Mortality Percentage of a year class dying
during a specific period.

Pregnancy Rate Percentage of females that
were carrying or had borne pups in the
year of examination. For example, the
pregnancy rate of 5-year-old females was
40 percent.

Return The return or survival of seals from a
year class. For example, 18,642 3-year-
old seals from the 1960 year class re-
turned in 1963.

Rookery An area on which breeding seals
congregate.

Round The sequence in which hauling grounds
on St. Paul Island are visited to collect
seals for harvest. Current practice is to
make a complete circuit or round of the
hauling grounds in 5 days and to repeat
the procedure throughout the kill of males.
The round system is not followed during
the kill of females on St. Paul Island, nor
during the kill of males and females on
St. George Island.

24

Round-up The act of surrounding and collecting Tar-SCar A hole or torn area near the usual

seals to be driven for harvest, tagging, or tag site on a seal's flipper. Tags fall out

other purposes, because of poor clinching or wear and are

Tagged Describes a seal having an inscribed forcibly torn out by catching in rock

metal tag or tags attached to one or more crevices or driftwood. Possibly some are

of Its flippers. torn out by the tagged seal.

Tag Recoveries Includes tags recovered and Tagged-tO-Untagged Ratio See marked-to-

seals identified from checkmarks or tag unmarked ratio.

scars as having lost their tags. See Year Class Group of seals born m the same

checkmark, marked, lost-tag, and tag- year. See age class.
scar.

25

APPENDIX A

PREDICTIONS OF 1966 KILL OF MALES

Douglas G. Chapman

18 November 1965

Prediction of 4-Year-Old Male Kill

Regression of kill of 4-year males on kill of
3-year males and the mean date of the kill at
age 3. --Predictions of the kill at age 4 have
been relatively easy and more accurate than
predictions of the kill at age 3. This differ ence
is to be expected, because the return at age 3
gives much information on the strength of the
year class. Initially an estimate was made of
the escapement of 3-year-old males fronn the
kill which, in turn, provided an estimate of the
return at age 4. Subsequently, 1 found that this
estimate of the escapement was in fact a
considerable underestimate. It seemed more
reasonable, therefore, to estimate the returns
at age 4 directly rather than through a fictitious
escapement estimate. This approach was based
on a regression where the independent (i.e.,
predictive) variab-les were (a) the number of
3-year-old males killed in July, and (b) the
timing of the return as measured by the mean
date of the kill of 3-year-olds in July. A suf-
ficiently long series of comparable data is
available only for the month of July, although
substantial numbers of male seals were also
killed in August in recent years. Adjustments
have been made for extensions of the kill into
August.

The regression for the returns of year
classes 1952-61 is:

Y =-15.0+0.62Xi +5.07X2
where

Y = kill of 4-year-old males to 31 July

plus 80 percent of the

kill of 3-year-old males after 31 July

of the previous year
Xi =kill of 3-year-old males to 31 July
X, = mean date of the kill of 3-year-old

males in July, as measured from

15 July

The coefficient of multiple correlation is 0.90
(r2=0.81).

In recent years, not only has the kill been
extended into August but the first day of the
kill has also been advanced. Comparable data
have been obtained only by adjusting to the
basis of a 27 June starting date (the starting
date during the middle 1950's). When the
starting date was 2 July, it was necessary to
prorate a portion of the 2-6 July kill that might
have been taken 27 June to 1 July, if the kill
had started at the earlier date.

In 1965, the kill began on 7 July, so that
a further backward extrapolation became nec-
essary to estimate X^. It is not surprising,
therefore, that the resulting estimate is not
reasonable. For 1965, Xl= 12, X2 =6, and Y is
30,000. The X2 value of 6 is higher than any
that occurred in the period from which the
regression is computed.

Regression of percentage of the kill from a
year class at ages 3 and 4 taken at age 3 on
(a) date of termination, and (b) median date of
the kill at age 3.-- The data for this regression
are given in appendix table 1.

An average of 67.4 percent (standard devia-
tion 10.17) of the kill of males from a year
class at ages 3 and 4 occurs at age 3. The
95-percent confidence interval for any
individual observed percentage is:

67.4 + 2.16(1 + -—) ^/^(10.17)

i.e., (44.7, 90.1).

At the lower confidence lin-iit, the percentage
of 44.7 nneans that the upper bound of the kill
at ages 3 and 4 from the 1962 year class is
19,000^0.447, or 43,000. This figure leaves
26,000 for the kill of 4-year-olds in 1966,
which, although below the estimate from the
regression based on the mean date, is still a
high estimate.

The above estimate of 26,000 can be im-
proved by calculating the regression of P3
(percentage of kill at ages 3 and 4 taken at
age 3) on the termination date (t) and either
the mediandate (m) or the last round percentage
(I), Either of the variables, median date or
percentage in the last 5 days of July, measures
to some degree the lateness of the returns.
Perhaps the median date yields a better esti-
mator than does the percentage in the last 5
days. The respective equations are:

P3= 74.7+0.391-0.40/
and

P3=62.4 +1.95t-2.21m
where

R = 0.50

R=0.64

p T = percentage of the kill at ages 3 and

4 from a year class taken at age 3
t = termination date (in days after 31

July)
/ = percentage of the 3-year-old males

killed in last 5 days in July
m = median date of the kill of 3-year-old

males

26

Appendix table 1. — Data for the regression of percentage of the kill from a year class at ages 3
and <+ taken at age 3 on date of termination and median date of the kill at age 3, year classes
1947-61, St. Paul Island

Proportion of kill

Termination

Median date

Proportion of kill

Year

from a year class

date of kill

of kill of

at age 3 taken

class

at ages 3 and 4

of 3-year-old

3-year-old

in last 5 days

talcen at age 3

males

males

of July

Percent

Percent

ig-i?

56

27 July

13 July

20

1948

56

29 July

18 July

29

1949

71

27 July

15 July

24

1950

73

29 July

18 July

31

1951

64

27 July

17 July

32

1952

49

31 July

21 July

28

1953

81

15 Aug.

24 July

15

1954

81

10 Aug.

24 July

15

1955

75

31 July

17 July

16

1956

79

31 July

13 July

18

1957

61

7 Aug.

27 July

18

1958

77

15 Aug.

27 July

14

1959

65

5 Aug.

22 July

11

1960

58

5 Aug.

23 July

19

1961

65

5 Aug.

23 July

20

For the 1962 year class the median date of the
kill of 3-year-old males is 27 July and the
terminal date is 9 August. Thus, for the 1962
year class p^ is estimated as 65.1 (in the actual
equation the median date was estimated by
interpolation to tenths of a day; for the 1962
year class, m = 6.7). The kill at ages 3 and 4
from the 1962 year class is estimated as
29,200, i.e., 19+0.651; hence the estimate of
the kill of 4-year-old males is 10,200. The
standard error of the estimated p^ for the
1 962 year class is 9.6. This value is equivalent
to an error in the forecast total of about 4,500.

Regression of returns on air temperature. --
Appendix table 2 shows the data for this
regression, i.e., the mean tennperature at
St. Paul Island for the 12 months ending 30
June of the year of birth, and the total kill from
the year class at ages 3 and 4. Use of the total
kill at ages 3 and 4 represents a modification
of the dependent variable previously used.
Previously, the dependent variable was the
kill of a year class prior to 3 1 July at ages
3 and 4 plus 80 percent of the kill of 3-year-
olds in August. This "adjusted" kill was used
to obtain comparable data from early years
when the kill ended prior to 31 July and from
recent years when the kill usually has been
extended into August.

The adjustment, however, made it difficult
to evaluate the error of this forecast. More-
over, the analysis given in the previous section
shows that the terminal date plays a small role
in the percentage taken at age 3 and presumably

Appendix table 2. --The kill of 3- and 4-year-
old males and mean air temperature, year
classes 1950-61, St. Paul Island

Year
class

Tenrperature

(degrees of

Fahrenheit

in tenths of

a degree above 32)

T

Kill at ages

3 and 4

Y

Niimber

Number

1950

35

56,000

1951

36

50,000

1952

37

62,000

1953

16

47,000

1954

10

29,000

1955

17

38,000

1956

1

13,000

1957

23

40,000

1958

34

63,000

1959

33

41,000

1960

26

25,000

1961

18

35,000

a still smaller role in the total kill from a year
class.

The regression equation is:

Y = l6.6+1.05T r = 0.81

For the 1962 year class T = 21 andhence:

Y = 38.7

27

Since the kill of 3-year-old males in 1965 was
19,000, a balance of 19,700 for the kill of
4-year-old males in 1966 is innplied.

By this nnethod, the standard error of the
predicted Y {kill of 3- and 4-year-old males)
is 9,600. This is also the standard error of the
forecast of the kill of 4-year-olds in 1966.

Estimated return based on estimates of year-
ling population. - -As shown elsewhere in this
report, the estimated mumber of yearling
males in 1962 (from the 1961 year class),
based on 352 recoveries to date, is 77,827,
whereas the estimated number of yearling
males in 1963 (from the 1962 year class) is
73,320 (180 recoveries). If possible bias in the
latter estimate based on recoveries through
age 3 is disregarded, cind if mortality varies
most during the first year of life, the returns
from the 1962 year class should be
73,320-^77,827, or 94 percent of those from the

1961 year class. At the end of the kill in 1965,
the St. Paul Island returns fronn the 196l and

1962 year classes to date were:

Kill at
age

2
3

4
Total

Ninety-four percent of 35,600 is 33,500, and, of
this return, the number remaining is 12,000.
The standard error of this estimate, which is
difficult to measure, depends on the variability
in survival after age 1, on which we have no
information, together with the variability in the
estimates of the yearling groups. The minimum
error in the difference between the two groups
is given by the formula:

Year

class

1961

1962

1.1

2.5

22.5

19.0

12.0

_

35.6

21.5

S. E. (Difference

n;

when Nj, N2 are the respective population
estimates and sj, S2 are the tag recoveries on
which they are based. Hence, S.E.= 6,800.

The effect of this S.E. on the forecast of the
kill of 4-year-old males in 1966 can be
evaluated in the following way. The S.E. of
6,800 represents about 9 percent of the esti-
mate of the yearling populations. A 9 percent
error in the returns of the 1961 year class is
3,200 and this, then, is the lower limit of the
S.E. of the forecast of the kill of 4-year-old
males in 1966. In addition to ignoring varia-
tions in mortality after age 1, this standard
error ignores any variability incurred because
of errors in determining the ages of seals
selected for tagging as yearlings or any

possible clustering effects. To allow very
roughly for these effects, a standard error of
4,000 is estimated.

Weighted Estimate on the Kill of 4- year-old
Males.- -From the foregoing methods, the three
estimates regarded as valid and their standard
errors are:

(1) Fronn regression of percentage of kill at
age 3 on termination date and median
date:

Estimate 10,200 S.E. 4,500

(2) From temperature-return equation:
Estimate 19,700 S.E. 9,600

(3) From estimates of yearlings:

Estimate 12,400 S.E. 4,000

The weighted mean estimate is 12,300. The
unweighted mean estimate is 14,100. In view
of the uncertainty of the S.E. of the third
estimate, and the fact that the estimate of
yearlings of the 1962 year class maybe some-
what low, it is perhaps best to use the un-
weighted mean estimate, 14,100.

Prediction of Kill of 3-Year-Old Males

Correlation of kill of 3-year-old males with
return of 2-year-olds. --The prediction of this
component of the kill is more difficult. As
shown in appendix table 2, the kill from a year
class at age 3 represents 67 percent of the
kill at ages 3 and 4 and is by far the largest
component. The number of 2-year-old males
killed is extremely variable because most of
them are below the acceptable length limits
and because the timing of their return ap-
parently varies. If substantial numbers of
2-year-olds return in early August, they will
appear in the kill, but if their return is de-
layed by a few days the number of 2-year-olds
killed is much smaller. For these and perhaps
other reasons, as noted by Chapman (Roppel,
Johnson, Anas, and Chapmam, 1965), the corre-
lation of the kill of 3-year-old males with the
best present index of 2-year-old returns (kill
in a late round) is extremely small (r^=0.20).
Such a regression essentially yields the long-
term mean as the predicted value and, hence,
particularly fails as a forecasting tool. A
prediction is of value primarily if it can
identify those years when deviations much
above or much below the mean will occur.

The suggestion has been made that the pro-
portions of tagged males in the kill have been
directly related to the survival of the year
class; this idea in turn has given rise to the
thought that the proportion of tags among

28

2-year-olds might serve as a guide to year-
class strength. The correlation is only 0.06,
however; thus, this variable obviously has no
value for forecasting.

Regression of Return on Tennperature.-- This
estimated regression was calculated above as:

Y = l6.6+ 1.05T
where

Y = the kill of males at ages 3 and 4
T = nnean temperature

For the 1963 year class T = 28 (2.80 above 320),
to give Y= 46,000, the kill at ages 3 and 4. At
the present time, the best estimate of the
number that might be taken at age 3 is
(0.67)(46,000) = 31,000.

The standard error of the forecast Y (kill
at ages 3 and 4) is 10,000. In addition, the
percentage taken at age 3 varies (standard
error of the percentage is 10.17). Because of
this variability, a standard deviation of 8,500
in the forecast of the kill of 3-year-old males
in 1966 is calculated. The count of dead pups
was also tried as a variable in this regression.
Chapman (Roppel, Johnson, and Chapman,
1965) found, however, that the count of dead
pups yields essentially the same information
as the temperature variable and thus does not
provide an additional basis for forecasting.
Data for 2 additional years do not change this
conclusion.

Regression of Return on Pup Weights in
Autumn. - - Pups were weighed in autumn to
measure the relation of weight to survival. The
data for this regression are shown in appendix
table 3.

The regression equation is:

K = 9.7w.66.65

(r=0.81)

where

K = kill in thousands at age 3

w = mean weight of untagged males

The rather high correlation is due primarily
to one point, that of the 1958 year class. The
forecast for the 1963 year class is 19,700
(w = 8.9). The standard error is 8,700. In
weighting this estimate with the estimate from
the temperature-return regression, however.

I have to allow for the fact that this regression
is based on a much shorter series (4 degrees
of freedom compared with 10). When this
adjustment is made, the weights of the two
estimates are 0.60 (temperature) and 0.40
(mean pup weights). The weighted average of
the two forecasts is 26,400.

Prediction of Total Kill

As in previous years, the estimates for
St. Paul Island are extrapolated to St. George
Island by the long-term proportion of 0.20 for
the latter. In 1963 and 1964, the kill of males
on St. George Island was in excess of 20 per-
cent of the kill on both islands, but in 1965 it
fell to 17.3. The cause of variations between
the two islands is difficult to determine. The
predicted kill of male seals on the Pribilof
Islands in 1966 is given in appendix table 4.

The forecasted and actual kills of males are
compared in appendix table 5 for 1961-65.

Appendix table 3. — Mean weight of untagged
male pups and kill of 3 -year-old males from
the year class, St. Paul Island, 1957-62

Year
class

Mean weight

Kill

1957

1958

Kg-

8.7
11.4
9.4
9.8
8.5
9.2

Number

24,000
48 000

1959

26,000
14,000
22 000

I960

1961

1962

TQ nnn

Appendix table 4. — Predictions of the kill of
males in 1966, by age, Pribilof Islands,
Alaska

Island

Age in years

Pre-
dicted
kill

2 and 5

3

4

Number

3,000
1,000

Number

Number

Number

St- Paul...
St. George.

26, 000

7,000

14,000
3,000

43, 000
11, 000

Total

4,000

33,000

17,000

54,000

29

Appendix table 5. — Conparison of forecasted and actual kills of males,

1961-65

Ages

Forecasted

kill

Actual kill to

end of
regular season

Years

Number

1965 (Pribi

4,000
33,000
16,000

Number

lof Islands)
2,851

3

22.767

4

1 4 . 641

Total. . .

53,000

1964 (Pribi

3,800
30,000

16, 200

40,259

2 + 5

lof Islands')
4,978

3

28,827

13,073

Total. . .

50,000

1963 (Pribi

3,800
50,000
18,800

46, 878

lof Islands)
3,217

3

17,986

18,394

Total. .

72,600
1962 (St.

3,000
36,000
11,000

Pai

39, 597

2 + 5

il Island only)
1,463

3

25,098

13,422

Total. .

50,000
1961 (St.

20,000
20,000

Pau

39, 983

1 Island only)
29, 523

12,488

Total. .

40,000

42,011

30

APPENDIX B

Appendix table 6. — Age classification of Bale seals killed on St. Paul Island, 7 July to 9 August 1965

Rookery^

Number

Males
kllls^

Percent in each age
class of sanple

Tooth
sanple

Estimated nunber killed
from each age class

July:

7

8

9

10

11

Round total

July:

12

13

13

14

15

15

16

Round total

July:

17

18

18

19

20

20

21

Round total

July:

22

23

23

24

25

25

26

Round total

July:

27

28

29

30

31

Round total

Aug. :

1

2

3

4

5

5

Round total

Aug. :

6

7

8

9

Round total

Season total

NEP

TZR

ZAP

REEF-LK,
POL

NEP

TZR

REEF. . .

ZAP

REEF...

LK

POL

NEP.

TZR.

LK..

ZAP.

REEF,

LK.

POL,

NEP

TZR

LK

ZAP

REEF

LK

POL

NEP

TZR-LK

ZAP

REEF-LK. . .
POL

NEP

TZR

ZAP

REEF-LK. . .
POL

ZAP-REEF. .

NEP

TZR

REEF

NEP

920
451
1,020
778
314

3,483

829
314
138
954
725
149
212

3,321

1,758
253
110

1,718

809

87

367

5,102

1,645
538
137
1,696
1,009
161
427

5,613

2,276

574

1,668

1,003

511

6,032

1,195
472

1,297
979
405
443

4,791

2,161
981

811
1,337

5,290
'34,112

185
135
103
163
65

651

83
66
24
95
73
29
42

169
51
22
173
151
23
71

660

320

105

25

337

200

32

86

1,105

415
100
326
200
97

1,138

269
104
279
228
93
94

1,067

598
218
224
368

1,408
6,441

39
38
34
31
35

56
56
61
62
57

9
5

10

359

171
347
241
110

515
252
622
482
179

37
18
41
47
19

10
5
5

12

48
38
50
37
41
52
45

46
49
46
56
50
48
38

10

24

6

19

7

1,228

398

120

69

353

297

77

95

2,050

381

185

63

534

363

72

81

162

55
33
40
53
49
48
42

38
53
50
42
42
52
49

4
10
5
4
5

53

57
49
68
56
63
60
52

70
48
59
55
56

69
56
65
61
62
77

74
72
61
72

36
39
28

37
31
28
43

24
45
37
37
32

23
35
28
30
29
14

13
21
30
15

17
24

1,409

967
84
44

911

397
42

154

1,679

668

134

56

721

340

45

180

33

94

82

16

85
40
14

2,599

938
264

93
950
636

97
222

2,144

592
210

39
627
313

45
184

245

91

1,593

6

275

17

984

40

552

31

286

214

216
49
41

160

466
1,264

3,200

3,690

72

824

19

264

39

843

49

597

4

251

31

341

3,120

1,599
706
495
963

3,763
19,009

2,010

546
258
617
371
163

1,955

275
1-65
363
294
118
62

1,277

281
206
243

201

931
12,046

33

48

5

34

20

5

13

158

46
29
50
40
31

196

24
24
52
39
28
9

65
20
32
13

130
1,240

7
11

10
5

73

^ NEP = Northeast Point (Vostochni and Jfcrjovi rookeries); TZR = Tolstol, Zapadni Reef, Little Zapadni; ZAP= Zapadnl;
REEF-LK = Reef , Gorbatch, Ardiguen, and Lukanin, Kitovl; POL = Polovina, Polovina Cliffs, Little Polovina.

^ Includes experimental and rejected skins.

^ Includes 480 unclassified males taken during the female kill, 23-27 August. Does not include 854 males In ages 4-8 taken
for special purposes.

31

Appendix table 7. — Cumulative age classification of male seals killed on St. Paul Island,

7 July to 9 August 1965

Date

Rookery^

Estimated number killed
from each age class^

Total
kill

Percent killed from
each age class

July:
7.
8.
9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

13.

U.

15.

15.

16.

17.

18.

18.

19.

20.

20.

21.

22.

23.

23.

24.

25.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

Aug.:
1.
2.
3.
U.
5.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

NEP

TZR

ZAP

REEF-LK..

POL

NEP

TZR

REEF

ZAP

REEF

LK

POL

NEP

TZR

LK

ZAP

REEF

LK

POL

NEP

TZR

LK

ZAP

REEF

LK

POL

NEP

TZR-LK...

ZAP

REEF-LK..
POL

NEP

TZR

ZAP

REEF-LK..

POL

ZAP-REEF.

NEP

TZR

REEF

NEP

9

U

24

24

24

24

24

30

49

56

56

60

113

113

113

130

154

154

154

236

252

252

337

377

391

399

490

496

513

553

584

656

675

714

763

767

798

1,014

1,063

1,104

1,264

359
530
877
1,118
1,228
1,626
1,746
1,815
2,168
2,465
2,542
2,637
3,604
3,688
3,732
4,643
5,040
5,082
5,236
6,174
6,438
6,531
7,481
8,117
8,214
8,436
"029
304
,288
,840
126

10,
10,

11

11,
12,

12,950
13,214
14, 057
14, 654
14, 905
15,246
16,845
17,551
18,046
19,009

515

37

767

55

5

1,389

96

5

1,871

143

13

2,050

162

19

2,431

212

19

2,616

218

22

2,679

218

22

3,213

266

22

3,576

317

29

3,648

317

29

3,729

338

40

4,397

408

40

4,531

433

50

4,587

438

55

5,308

507

55

5,648

547

63

5,693

547

63

5,873

580

63

6,465

613

63

6,675

661

63

6,714

666

63

7,341

700

63

7,654

720

63

7,699

725

63

7,883

738

63

8,429

784

63

8,687

813

69

9,304

863

69

9,675

903

69

9,838

934

69

10,113

958

69

10, 278

982

69

10,641

1,034

69

10,935

1,073

69

11, 053

1,101

73

11,115

1,110

73

11,396

1,175

73

11,602

1,195

73

11, 845

1,227

73

12,046

1,240

73

3

4

^,

^,

5

6

920

1,371

2,391

3.169

483

312

626

764

718

_,443

6,592

6,804

8,562

8,815

8,925

10,643

11,452

11,539

11, 906

13,551

14,089

14, 226

15,922

16,931

17,092

17, 519

19,795

20, 369

22, 037

23,040

23,551

24,746
25, 218
26,515
27,494
27,899
28,342
30, 503
31,484
32,295
33,632

39
39
37
35
35
38
38
38
38
38
39
39
42
42
42
44
44
44
44
45
46
46
47
48
48
48
51
51
51
52
52

52
52
53
53
53
54
55
56
56
56

56
56
58
59
59
56
56
57
56
56
55
55
52
51
51
50
50
50
50
48
47
47
46
46
45
45
43
43
43
42
42

41
41
40
40
40
39
38
37
37
36

■"■ NEP = Northeast Point (Vostochni and Morjovi rookeries); TZR = Tolstoi, Zapadni Reef, Little
Zapadni; ZAP= Zapadni; REEF-LK = Reef , Gorbatch, Ardiguen, and Lukanln, Kitovi; POL = Polovina,
Polovina Cliffs, Little Polovina.

^ Includes experimental and rejected skins.

^ Does not include 854 males in ages 4-8 taken for special purposes, nor 480 unclassified males
taken during the female kill, 23-27 August.

32

^pendix table 8 — Age classification of male seals killed on St. George Island, 7 July to 6 August 1965

Nujnber

Percent in each age class of sanple

Estimated number

killed

Date

Rookery'

Moles
killed

Tooth
sajiple

2

3

4

5

6

2

3

4

5

6

July:
7...
7...
9...
12..
12..
14..
14..
16..
16..
19..
19..
19..
21..
21..
23..
23..
26..
28..
28..
30..

Aug.:
2...
2...
4...
4...
6...

NOR

EAST...

ZAP

NOR

EAST...

NOR

ZAP

EAST...

NOR

ZAP

STAR. . .

NOR

EAST...
NOR. . . .

NOR

ZAP

EAST...

ZAP

NOR

EAST...

ZAP

NOR

STAR. . .
EAST...
NOR

288

333
314
102
222
47
121
326
288
174
96
64
279
184
311
154
591
174
817
290

239

202
140
305
674

29
34
31
22
42
15
37
31
30
17
26
18
56
36
31
31
59
51
80
55

47
42
65
30
74

2

5

3

5

8
2

2
3

4

21
44
45
41
48
47
27
39
57
18
58
50
43
56
64
42
64
55
66
56

62
79
58
67

77

72
47
55
50
41
47
65
61
40
58
34
44
50
44
33
55
31
35
21
40

36
21
34
30
19

7
9

9
2
6
5

3
6
4

2

10
5
2

2
6

7
3

18
4
6

3

4

"11"

9

30

65
6

3
9

27

61

146

141

42

107

22

33

127

164

31

56

32

120

103

199

65

378

96

539

162

148
160
81
204
519

207

157

173

51

91

22

79

199

115

101

32

28

140

81

103

85

183

61

172

116

86
42
48
92
128

20

30

9
4
3

6

9
11

4

5

17

41

6

5
8

16
3

31
4
4

4

Seasc

)n total

2 7,156

989

167

3,736

2,592

178

62

N0R= North; EAST = East Reef, East Cliffs; ZAP = Zapadni, South; STAR = Star ay a Artil.
Includes 421 unclassified males taken during the female kill, 16-27 August.

^pendix table 9. — Curulative age classification of male seals killed on St. George Island, 7 July to August 1965

Date

Rookery

L

Estimated number killed from each age class

Total
kill

Percent killed from each age class

2

3

4

5

6

2

3

4

5

6

July;
7...
7...
9...
12..
12..
14..

NOR

EAST...

ZAP

NOR

EAST...
NOR

4
4
4
4
4
4
4

^
18
18
27
27
57
57
122
128

128
128
131
140

167

61

207

348

390

497

519

552

679

843

874

930

962

1,082

1,185

1,384

1,449

1,827

1,923

2,462

2,624

2,772
2,932
3,013
3,217
3,736

207

364

537

588

679

701

780

979

1,094

1,195

1,227

1,255

1,395

1,476

1,579

1,664

1,847

1,908

2,080

2,196

2,282
2,324
2,372
2,464
2,592

20

50

50

59

63

66

72

72

81

92

96

96

101

101

101

101

101

118

159

165

170
170
178
178
178

16
16
19
19
19
50
54
58
58
58
58
62
62
62
62
62

62
62
62
62
62

288
621
935
1,037
1,259
1,306
1,427
1,753
2,041
2,215
2,311
2,375
2,654
2,838
3,149
3,303
3,894
4,063
4,885
5,175

5,414
5,616
5,756
6,061
2 6,735

1
1
1
1
1
3
3

3
2
2
2
2

21
33
37
38
40
40
39
39
41
40
41
41
41
42
44
44
47
47
50
51

51
52
53
53
56

72
59
58
57
54
54
55
56
54
54
53
53
53
52
50
50
47
47
43
42

42
42

41
41
38

7
8
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

3
3
3
3
3

1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1

1
1
1
1
1

14..

ZAP. . , .

16..
16..
19..

EAST...
NOR

ZAP. . . .

19..
19..
21..
21..
23..
23..
26..
28..
28..
30..

Aug. :
2...
2...
4...
4...
6...

STAR...
NOR. . . .
EAST...

NOR

NOR

ZAP

EAST...

ZAP

NOR

EAST...

ZAP

NOR

STAR. . .
EAST...
NOR

NOR= North; EAST = East Reef, East Cliffs; ZAP = Zapadni, South; STAR=Staraya Artil.
Does not include 421 unclassified males taken during the female kill, 16-27 August.

33

Appendix table 10. — Counts of harem and idle bulls, by rookery,
Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1965

Date

Rookery

Bulls

Harem

Idle

Total

July:
10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Gorbatch.
Ardiguen.
Reef

Total.

Polovina

Polovina Cliffs.
Little Polovina.

Total.

MDrjovi. . .
Vostochni .

Total.

Tolstoi .
Lukanin.
Kitovi. .

Total.

Zapadni

Little Zapadni.
Zapadni Reef...

Total

St. Paul Island total.

15.

16.

17.
18.

Zapadni.
South. . .

Total.

East Reef...
East Cliffs.

Total.

North

Star ay a Artil.

St. George Island total.
Pribilof Islands total..

St. Paul Island

674

105

1,179

1,958

220
650
236

1,106

1,434
739

2,173

876
204
486

1,566

978
551
221

1,750

8,553

St. George Island

296

288

584

139
233

372

687
274

1,917

10,470

520

69

670

1,259

406
322
360

1,088

835
403

1,238

394
147
205

746

908
182
195

1,285

1,194

174

1,849

3,217

626
972
596

2,194

2,269
1,142

3,411

1,270
351
691

2,312

1,886
733
416

3,035

5,616

14, 169

211
57

507
345

268

42
43

852

181
276

85

466
294

457

1,153
568

1,113

3,030

6,729

17, 199

34

Appendix table 11. — Counts of harem and idle bulls, by island, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, 1911-4-1

and 1943-65

Year

St. Paul Island

Harem

Idle

St. George Island

Harem

Idle

Both islands

Harem

Idle

1911.
1912.
1913.
1914.
1915.
1916.
1917.
1918.
1919.
1920.
1921.
1922.
1923.
1924.
1925.
1926.
1927.
1928.
1929.
1930.
1931.
1932.
1933.
1934.
1935.
1936.
1937.
1938.
1939.
1940.
1941.
1943.
194^.
1945.
1946.
1947.
1948.
1949.
1950.
1951.
1952.
1953.
1954.
1955.
1956.
1957.
1958.
1959.
1960.
1961.
1962.
1963.
1964.
1965.

1

090

1

077

1

142

1

316

1

789

2

948

^

166

^

610

^

573

3

542

3

443

3

184

3,

051

3

127

3

103

3

478

3

916

5

059

5

998

6

823

7

557

8

268

8

334

8

841

9

444

10

055

10

689

10

720

9

122

9

662

10

089

10

948

11

080

10

750

10

566

10

160

10

386

9

554

9

442

9

434

9

318

9

848

9

906

9

034

9

384

9

562

9

970

10

003

10

247

11

163

10

332

9

212

9

085

8;

553

258

93

77

159

546

2,278

2,341

2,245

2,158

1,078

711

493

303

375

283

368

846

1,208

1,339

1,555

1,519

1,940

1,933

1,860

2,082

2,253

2,516

1,787

2,616

3,968

5,059

3,523

2,539

4,055

3,605

3,331

3,400

2,976

3,152

"581

717

912

,847

650

3
4

6,J

9,016

10, 060

9,510

11,485

10,407

11, 791

9,109

7,650

7,095

5,616

266

281

261

243

362

552

684

734

585

524

466

378

361

389

423

556

727

991

1,189

1,489

1,676

1,820

1,879

1,929

2,103

2,411

1,858
1,988
1,942
2,107
2,294
2,434
2,430
1,808
1,814
1,746
1,959
1,825
1,983
2,285
2,228
2,130

2,423
2,619
2,527
2,552
2,843
2,342
2,071
1,989
1,917

71

20

28

13

127

354

365

199

81

83

36

15

9

15

28

55

126

241

294

344

369

409

408

422

453

515

357
571
396
330
450
750
611
479
563
552
574
549
605
826
1,311
1,902

2,693
3,030
2,699
2,630
2,489
2,650
1,890
1,489
1,113

1,356
1,358
1,403
1,559
2,151
3,500
4,850
5,344
5,158
4,066
3,909
3,562
3,412
3,516
3,526
4,034
4,643
6,050
7,187
8,312
9,233
10, 088
10, 213
10,770
11, 547

13, 100

10, 980
11,650
12,031
13,055
13, 374
13, 184
12,996
11,968
12, 200

11. 300
11,401
11,259

11. 301
12,133
12, 134
11, 164

11,985
12,589
12,530
12, 799
14, 006
12,674
11,283
11, 074
10,470

329

113

105

172

673

2,632

2,706

2,444

2,239

1,161

747

508

312

390

311

423

972

1,449

1,633

1,899

1,888

2,349

2,341

2,282

2,535

3,031

2,973
4,539
5,455
3,853
2,989
4,805
4,216
3,810
3,963
3,528
3,726
4,130
5,322
6,738
8,158
10, 552

12, 753

12, 540

14, 184

13, 037

14, 280

11, 759

9,540

8,584

6,729

35

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37

Appendix table 16. — Soviet tags recovered from the kill, Prlbilof Islands, Alaska, 1965

Date

Tag number

Age

Sex

Island of
tagging

Rookery of
recovery-"-

July:
27.,
30..

Aug. :
1...
6...
26.,

July:
9...
16..
17..
19..
20..
25..
26..
27.,

Aug. :
6...
6...
6...
7..,
8...
8..,
9..,

July:
7..,

17..
22.,
27..
28..
29..

Aug. :
6...
27..

9...

July:

12.,
21..
28..

Aug. :
6...

July:
7..
12.,
12..

H- 16418. .
H-233712.

H-25371. .
H-29561. .
H- 17-^18. .

M- 16303..
M-16053..
M- 13847. .
K-15296. .
K-16958..
M-12506..
M-U282..
M- 13844..

K-15342..
M- 14869. .
K-15546. .
M- 14918..
K-16521..
M-18241. .
K-15504..

E-19658. .

C-85770. .
C-37130. .
E-2067. . .
C-81430..
C- 52090. .

M- 17450. .
M- 14122..

B-2817...

M- 16029. .
K- 16217..
M-21626. .

M-12131..

E-19801..
E- 24421..
E- 24755..

Years

2
2

St. Paul Island

J'

if

cf

S
cT

S
S

i
i
i
3

Bering
Medny

St. George Island

. . . .do.
. . . .do.
Bering

Medny
do.

. . . .do.
Bering
. . . .do.
Msdny
. . . .do.
. . . .do.

Bering

Msdny

Bering

Medny

Bering

Medny

Bering

Medny

Medny
. . . .do.
. . . .do.
. . . .do.
. . . .do.

Medny
. . . .do.

Bering

Medny

Bering

Medny

Medny

Medny
do.

. .. .do.

NEP
REEF

NEP
NEP
REEF

ZAP

POL

NEP

ZAP

REEF

REEF

POL

NEP

NEP

NEP

NEP

TOL

REEF

REEF

NEP

NEP

NEP
NEP
NEP
NEP
ZAP

NEP
NEP

NEP

NOR

EAST

NOR

NOR

NOR
NOR
NOR

■"■ NEP = Northeast Point (Vostochni and MDrjo-vl rookeries); REEF = Reef, Gorbatch, Ardiguen; ZAP ^
Zapadni; POL = Polovina, Polovina Cliffs, Little Polovina; TOL = Tolstoi; NOR = North; EAST = East
Reef, East Cliffs.

^ Double-tagged — tag on right front flipper lost.

fn

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39

Appendix table 18.— Record of fur seal pups tagged, Prlbllof Islands, Alaska, 1941, 1945, 1947-49, and 1951-65

Year

Series

St. Paul
Island

St. George
Island

Location of tag

Checkmarks or marks

1941. .

1945..

1947. .

1948..
1949..
1951..

1952..

1953..

1954..

1955. .

1956..

1957. .

1958..

1959. .
I960..
1961..
1962..
1963..
1964..
1965..

USA 1-10000;
USA 1-1000 and
USA 5001-6000. .

10001-11000

(no letter prefix)

A 1-20000.

B 1-19673.

CS 1-20000.

D 1-1000..

E 1-20000.

F 1-10000

G-7001-7400..

G- 1-7000

G-7401-10400.

H 1-10000

10001-50000

(no letter prefix)

I 1-10000

I 10001-50000.

J 1-10000

J 10001-50000.
K 1-10000

K 10001-50000.
K 10001-15000.

L 1-10000

L 10001-50000.

M 1-12000

M 12001-60000.

N 1-10000

N-10001-50000.

0 1-10000

0 10001-50000.

P 1-5000

P 5001-25000..

Q 1-5000

Q 5001-25000..

R 1-10000

kfarked only...
Marked only. . .

10,000
1,000
1,000

973

19, 183

19, 532

19, 963

1,000

19,979

9,990

398

7,000

3,000

49,870

39,900

39,870

39,923

5,000

39,901

47,989

39,933

39,928

19, 978

19, 998
10,000
10,007
10,080

9,894

9,972

9,994

9,980

11,992

9,988

9,980

4,993

4,993

Front flipper i { right
front and hind flippers;
? '4 left front and hind
flippers

Left front flipper

Left front flipper

Left front flipper
Left hind flipper
Right hind flipper

Right front flipper

Left front flipper

do ,

Right front flipper

do ,

Left front flipper
do

Right front flipper
do

Left front flipper
do

Right front flipper

.do.

Right and left front
flippers

Left front flipper

do

Right front

flipper

. . . .do

Left front

flipper

.. ..do

Right front

flipper

do

Left front

flipper

do

Right front

flipper

do

Left front flipper

Not tagged

do

Branded, nape of neck

Double tagged, branded nape of

neck

None

1/4" hole between 1st (big toe)
and 2nd digits left hind flipper

None

None

1/2 left ear on 100 tagged pups
renoved

Tip of 1st digit (big toe) on right
hind flipper sliced off

Tip of left front flipper sliced
off

Do.

"V" notch near tip right front
flipper

Do.

Tip of 1st digit (big toe) on left
hind flipper sliced off

Tip of right front flipper sliced
off

Do.

"V" notch near tip left front
flipper

Do.

"V" notch near tip right front
flipper

Do.
Double tagged plus checkmark

Tip of left front flipper sliced
off

Do.

Tip of right front flipper sliced
off

Do.

"V" notch near tip left front
flipper

Do.

"V" notch near tip right front
flipper

Do.

Tip of left front flipper sliced
off

Do.

Tip of right front flipper sliced
off

Do.

"V" notch near tip left front

flipper

"V" notch near tip right front

flipper

Tip of 1st digit (big toe) on right

hand flipper sliced off

40

Appendix table 19. — Tags applied to seals selected as yearlings on the basis

of body length, St. Paul Island, 1965

Rookery or
hauling ground

Seals double-tagged

Tag series
allotment

Tag on each
front flipper

Zapadni rookery

Zapadni Reef and English Bay, sand beach
hauling grounds

Lukanin and Kitovi rookeries and haul-
ing grounds

Polovina, Polovina Cliffs, and Little
Polovina rookeries and hauling grounds.

Vostochni and M^rjovi rookeries and

hauling grounds

Reef and Gorbatch rookeries and hauling
grounds

Total

IR 1-100. .
1R301-325..

lRlOl-300.,
1R326-4.00.,
1RA26-500.,
1R699-700.,
1R794-800.,
1R932-1000,

1R401-425..

1R501-600. ,
1R856-931

1R601-698.,
1R701-793 . ,
1R839-8'41.,

1R801-838. '
1R842-855.,

Number

98
25

200

73

75

2

7
68

25

98
76

98

92

3

38
13

991

41

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42

Appendix table 21.— Mean weights^ of seal pups about 1 September, year classes 1957-65,

St. Paul Island

Group

1957^

1958^

1959^

1960^

1961^

19623

1963*

1964*

1965*

Males:

Tagged and checkmarked.

Untagged and unmarked..

Marked only

Females :

Tagged and checkmarked.

Untagged and unmarked..

Marked only

Kg.

7.9
(262)

8.7
(391)

7.4
(196)

7.7
(351)

Ml

11.4
(127)

9.9
(121)

Ml

9.0
(182)

9.4
(444)

8.0
(188)

8.1
(386)

Kg.

9.2
(211)

9.8
(372)

8.4
(254)

9.1
(363)

Kg.

8.0
(186)

8.5
(381)

7.2
(167)

8.0
(466)

8.4
(300)

9.2
(300)

7.6
(300)

8.2
(300)

Kg-,

8.3
(299)

8.9
(300)

7.3
(296)

8.0
(300)

Kg.

8.0
(297)

9.1
(300)

6.8
(294)

7.7
(300)

Kg.

8.6
(297)

9.5
(300)

8.3
(300)

7.4
(296)

8.2
(300)

7.2
(300)

■"■ Numbers in parentheses are the nvimber of pups in each sample.

^ One week after tagging.

3 Mean weights from the first of three weighings (l week after tagging).

* Two weeks after tagging.

Appendix table 22. — Mean weights of seal pups about 1 September, by rookery, St. Paul Island, 1965

[Numbers in parentheses are the number of pups in each sample. The pups were weighed about 2

weeks after tagging or marking]

Males

Females

Rookery

Untagged

and
xinmarked

Tagged

and

checkmarked

Marked
only

Untagged

and
unmarked

Tagged

and

checkmarked

Marked
only

Vostochnl and Morjovi....
Reef

9.81

(75)

9.29
(75)

9.76
(75)

8.92
(75)

Kg._

8.86
(75)

7.90
(73)

9.17
(74)

8.34
(75)

Kg-

9.16
(75)

8.46

(75)

7.67
(75)

7.96
(75)

Kg-,

8.33
(75)

8.09
(75)

8.65
(75)

7.59
(75)

Kg-

7.61
(75)

6.99
(71)

7.84
(75)

7.08
(75)

Kg-

7.88
(75)

7.31
(75)

6.84
(75)

6.92
(75)

Zapadni

Polovina

Mean

9.45

8.57

8.31

8.17

7.38

7.24

43

APPENDIX C

The 1965 field season on the Pribilof Islands extended from June to October. Dates of arrival
and departure, and affiliations of research workers were:

Name

Arrival

Departure

Affiliation

Work

Ancel M. Johnson

14 June

6 Aug.

Bureau of Commercial

Seal research.

21 Sept.

6 Oct.

Fisheries

general

David Devin^

14 June

3 Sept.

Student, U. of Wash.

Do.

Daniel K. Odell^

---do.--

--do.-

Student, Cornell U.

Do.

Kenneth Johnston

---do.--

--do.-

Student, Colorado U.

Do.

Patrick Kozloff^

---do.--

--do.-

Student, U. of Alaska

Do,

Victor B. Scheffer

-.-do.--

10 July

Bureau of Connnnercial
Fisheries

Seal research,
special projects

Alton Y. Roppel

8 July

14 Aug.

do

Seal research,

general

Terrance M. Wilson^

6 July

9 Sept,

Student, Cornell U.

Seal research,
mortality

Mark C. Keyes

19 July 3 Sept, Bureau of Connmercial

Fisheries

Do.

Ford Wilke

Raymond E. Anas
David Galaktionoff^
Benjamin Misiken''"

Dionesy Bordukofsky''-
Agafon Krukoff, Jr.'"'
Lavrenty Stepetin^

Innokenty C. Lestenkof 6 July

Innokenty Lestenkof Jr."'' do.--

Max Thompson 20 June

6 Aug,

31 Aug.

do

Seal research,
general

---do.--

3 Sept.

do.

Do,

17 June

24 Aug.

St. Paul Island resident

Do.

17 June

20 Aug.

St. Paul Island resident

Seal research,
general

---do.--

--do.-

do.

Do.

---do.--

---do.--
21 Sept.

3 Sept.

--do.-
8 Oct.

-- - -.c\n

Do,
Do,

do.

Robert L. DeLong

■ -do.

31 Aug. St. George Island

resident

--do.- do.

18 Sept. Smithsonian

Institution

--do.- do.

Do.

Do.

Bird
marking

Do.

Temporary employee.

44

Two members of a four-man Task Force
Committee scheduled to review research pro-
grams of the Marine Mammal Biological
Laboratory 1-lZ November 1965 were on St.
Paul Island 6-14 August to gain information
that later assisted thenn in their review. They
were: Committee Chairman Gerald V. Howard,
Director of the Bureau of Commercial Fish-
eries Tuna Resources Laboratory at La JoUa,
Calif.; and Marvin D. Grosslein, biometrician
fronn the Bureau's Biological Laboratory at
Woods Hole. Mass.

Thon-ias C. Poulter, Director, Stanford Re-
search Institute, and assistants Diane Slaughter
and Richard Jennings were on St. Paul Island
19-29 July to make sonar recordings of fur
seals for the Institute's Biological Sonar
Laboratory.

Allison M. Craig and assistant Fred Tarasoff
studied reproductive maturation in female fur
seals on St. Paul Island 6 August to 15 Sep-
tember. Miss Craig represents the Fisheries

^

Research Board of Canada, which supports
her fur seal research at the University of
British Columbia.

Joseph Daniels, embryologist from the Uni-
versity of Colorado, was on St. Paul Island
18-31 August to study in-vitro incubation of
fur seal blastocysts. He was assisted by
Michael Cowan.

Francis H. Fay of the U.S. Public Health
Service was on the Pribilof Islands 17-26 Au-
gust examining shrews, lemmings, and foxes
for the hydatid tapeworm (Echinococcus).

Keith Farrell, Departnnent of Agriculture,
Washington State University Extension, was
on St. Paul Island 17-18 August in connection
with a study proposed for determining the
susceptibility of fur seals to salnnon poison-
ing and Elokomin fluke fever. These diseases
are carried by the intermediate stages of the
intestinal fluke Troglotrema salmincola that
infects salnnon. The flxike matures in

carnivores.

MS. #1542

45

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