title: Identification of Prey Captures in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) Using Head-Mounted Accelerometers: Field Validation with Animal-Borne Video Cameras.
abstract: This study investigated prey captures in free-ranging adult female Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) using head-mounted 3-axis accelerometers and animal-borne video cameras. Acceleration data was used to identify individual attempted prey captures (APC), and video data were used to independently verify APC and prey types. Results demonstrated that head-mounted accelerometers could detect individual APC but were unable to distinguish among prey types (fish, cephalopod, stingray) or between successful captures and unsuccessful capture attempts. Mean detection rate (true positive rate) on individual animals in the testing subset ranged from 67-100%, and mean detection on the testing subset averaged across 4 animals ranged from 82-97%. Mean False positive (FP) rate ranged from 15-67% individually in the testing subset, and 26-59% averaged across 4 animals. Surge and sway had significantly greater detection rates, but also conversely greater FP rates compared to heave. Video data also indicated that some head movements recorded by the accelerometers were unrelated to APC and that a peak in acceleration variance did not always equate to an individual prey item. The results of the present study indicate that head-mounted accelerometers provide a complementary tool for investigating foraging behaviour in pinnipeds, but that detection and FP correction factors need to be applied for reliable field application.
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Beth L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Volpov
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hoskins
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Marine Mammal Research Unit, Fisheries Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Battaile
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chize', Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villiers en Bois, France.
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viviant
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.affiliation: National Geographic, Remote Imaging Department, Washington, DC, United States of America.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: National Geographic, Remote Imaging Department, Washington, DC, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kyler
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abernathy
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: John P Y
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Arnould
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D049830:Cephalopoda; D018940:Elasmobranchii; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D020387:Food Chain; D046069:Fur Seals / Q000502:physiology*; D006257:Head; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D014741:Video Recording