MONITORING RINGED SEAL (PHOCA-HISPIDA) ACTIVITY BY MEANS OF ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY

This study was conducted in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (78-degrees-55'N, 12-degrees-30'E), from May 6 to 13, 1989. An adult ringed seal (Phoca hispida) female was live captured and equipped with an acoustic depth-time transmitter to obtain information on diving and haul-out activities. A total of 153 h continuous activity, including 1321 diving cycles, was recorded. Of the total time, 38.2% was spent underwater, 16.6% breathing at the surface, and 45.2% hauling out on the ice. Excluding haul-out periods, the seal was submerged for 69.7% and at the surface for 30.3% of the total time spent in the water. Mean dive duration was 2.7 +/- 2.7 (SD) min, and mean dive depth was 10.6 +/- 9.0 m. Maximum recorded dive duration was 17 min, and maximum recorded dive depth was 40 m. Recorded activities showed a diurnal pattern, with most of the diving activities in the late afternoon and at night and most of the haul-out activity in the morning and during the day.