title: Pup production and breeding distribution of the Caspian seal (Phoca caspica) in relation to human impacts.
abstract: Aerial surveys of Caspian seals on the winter ice field in Kazakhstan territorial waters were carried out in February 2005 and 2006 to assess the annual pup production for the species and natural predation on newborn pups. Estimated pup production was 21063 in 2005 and 16905 in 2006 (including an estimated figure for pups born in Russian territory in each year). The breeding population size of approximately 20 000 females is much less than published estimates from the late 1980s. Eagles were the principal natural predators of pups. Commercial icebreaker routes passed through areas of dense pup concentrations in 2006, although not in 2005. Our findings have important implications for the development of conservation strategies for the species. Natural mortality, loss to predators, and, more important, the current hunting quota substantially exceed the recruitment of the Caspian seal population. Anthropogenic sources of mortality should be managed to avoid further declines in the species.
authors.affiliation: Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden. Tero.Harkonen@nrm.se
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harkonen
authors.forename: Mart
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jüssi
authors.forename: Mirgaly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baimukanov
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bignert
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dmitrieva
authors.forename: Yesbol
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasimbekov
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verevkin
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D020307:Eagles; D006801:Humans; D007623:Kazakhstan; D046049:Phoca / Q000254:growth & development*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012098:Reproduction; D019596:Wolves