Species We Study: Marine Mammals Active
Marine mammals
Marine Mammals Research
Science Informing Endangered Species Act Decisions and Recovery Planning
Science for Oil and Gas Leasing-related Decisions
Marine Ecosystems
Ecosystem Shifts in Arctic Seas
Sea Ice - Habitat Dynamics
Broad-scale Research Conducted Across the 1002 Area and the NPR-A of Alaska
Polar Bear Maternal Denning
Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears
Polar Bear Population Dynamics
Health and Energetics of Polar Bears
Polar Bear Health and Disease Diagnostics
Pacific Nearshore Project
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS marine mammal research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS marine mammal data is available from the button below.
Mapping data of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den habitat, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska
Pathogen and Contaminant Exposure Data from Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2007-2014
Sea Otter Aerial Survey Data from Northern and Eastern Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2014
Polar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986-2016
Sightings data for a note on the "First Documentation of Long-Distance Travel by a Florida Manatee to the Mexican Caribbean"
Innate Immunity and Stress and Reproductive Hormone Metrics for Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2013-2015
Walrus Haulout Outlines Apparent from Satellite Imagery Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018-2020
Walrus Haulout Outlines and Count Data Apparent from Aerial Survey Images Collected Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018 and 2019
Protein and Fat Consumption of Zoo Polar Bears in 14-day Ad Libitum Trials, 2019-2020
Denning Phenology, Den Substrate, and Reproductive Success of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea 1986-2013 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1994
Cortisol Concentration Data from Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Hair Collected in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, Alaska, 1983-1989, 2004-2006, and 2008-2016
Sea Otter Survey Data, Carcass Recovery Data, and Blood Chemistry Data from Southwest Alaska
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS marine mammal research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS marine mammal publications is available from the button below.
Diet composition of the African manatee: Spatial and temporal variation within the Sanaga River Watershed, Cameroon
Fatty acid profiles of feeding and fasting bears: Estimating calibration coefficients, the timeframe of diet estimates, and selective mobilization during hibernation
Analysis of body condition indices reveals different ecotypes of the Antillean manatee
Survival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016
First documentation of long-distance travel by a Florida manatee to the Mexican Caribbean
Chronic exposure to glyphosate in Florida manatee
Energetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator
Climate change vulnerability assessment for the California coastal national monument—Trinidad and Point Arena-Stornetta units
Monitoring abundance of aggregated animals (Florida manatees) using an unmanned aerial system (UAS)
Diet composition and body condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in relation to sea ice habitat in the Canadian High Arctic
Measuring adrenal and reproductive hormones in hair from southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Lipidomics reveals specific lipid molecules associated with cold stress syndrome in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
Software related to USGS marine mammal research is listed below.
- Overview
Marine mammals
Marine Mammals ResearchFilter Total Items: 41Science Informing Endangered Species Act Decisions and Recovery Planning
Through the Changing Arctic Ecosystems (CAE) Initiative, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is informing key resource management decisions by better understanding how wildlife populations of special interest to the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responding to rapid physical changes in the Arctic. Below are some examples of how CAE research is informing Endangered Species Act decisions and...Science for Oil and Gas Leasing-related Decisions
Through the Changing Arctic Ecosystems (CAE) Initiative, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is informing key resource management decisions by better understanding how wildlife populations of special interest to the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responding to rapid physical changes in the Arctic. Below are some examples of how CAE research is informing decision-making for oil and gas leasing...Marine Ecosystems
The USGS conducts research on marine wildlife, habitats, and processes to provide science to inform our partners as they make decisions relative to species status, resource use, and human activities.Ecosystem Shifts in Arctic Seas
In addition to the direct effects of sea ice loss on walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ) and polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) that use ice as a platform, the decline of Arctic sea ice is predicted to promote a fundamental ecosystem shift from benthic animals that forage on the sea floor to pelagic animals that forage near the sea surface.Sea Ice - Habitat Dynamics
Sea Ice Present, Future and Ice Loss and WildlifeBroad-scale Research Conducted Across the 1002 Area and the NPR-A of Alaska
Selected Bibliography of Broad-scale Research Involving USGS and Conducted Across the 1002 Area and the NPR-A of Alaska Compiled as of 12/17/2018Polar Bear Maternal Denning
Pregnant polar bears enter maternity dens in October/November, give birth to cubs in December/January, and exit dens in March/April. Historically, most polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population constructed maternity dens on the sea ice. Over the last three decades, as sea ice has become thinner and prone to fragmentation, there has been a landward shift in the distribution of...Distribution and Movements of Polar Bears
Polar bears are tied to the sea ice for nearly all of their life cycle functions. Most important of these is foraging, or access to food. Polar bears almost exclusively eat seals, and they are equally as dependent upon the sea for their nutrition as are seals, whales, and other aquatic mammals. Polar bears are not aquatic, however, and their only access to the seals is from the surface of the sea...Polar Bear Population Dynamics
Information on the status and trends of polar bear populations are needed to inform management of polar bears under US laws and international agreements. The USGS maintains a long-term research program focused on the population dynamics of the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population. In addition, the USGS collaborates with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in population studies in the Chukchi...Health and Energetics of Polar Bears
Research in this focal area is centered on (i) collecting data on a variety of systems that help determine and mediate polar bear health and energetics, and (ii) developing monitoring and surveillance programs for detecting changes in population health over time. Additionally, this work will allow us to develop an understanding of how polar bear populations will respond to a variety of stressors...Polar Bear Health and Disease Diagnostics
In 2012, scientists noticed that nearly a third of polar bears sampled in a study in Alaska were suffering from hair loss and poor health. Drs. Lizabeth Bowen and A. Keith Miles of WERC used new technology to track down and identify the factors responsible for driving disease in Alaskan polar bears.Pacific Nearshore Project
Sea otters are crucial indicators of the health of our nearshore waters and coastal resources, from kelp forests to fisheries. What clues does the sea otter's decline hold for our knowledge of ecosystem and global change? WERC's sea otter team and U.S. and Canadian researchers have teamed together to investigate. Relevance to USGS Missions: This research project has direct relevance for the... - Data
Recent data (2020-2022) related to USGS marine mammal research is listed below. A complete listing of USGS marine mammal data is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 53Mapping data of Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den habitat, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska
These are geospatial data that characterize the distribution of polar bear denning habitat on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the coastal plain of northern Alaska between the Colville River and the Alaska/Canada border.Pathogen and Contaminant Exposure Data from Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2007-2014
These were data collected from polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea during the spring between 2007 and 2014. Data include individual ID, capture date, sex and age class, whether individuals visited bowhead whale carrion sites, exposure status relative to five pathogens, and concentrations of certain persistent organic pollutants.Sea Otter Aerial Survey Data from Northern and Eastern Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2014
This dataset consists of three tables related to abundance and distribution of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in northern and eastern Prince William Sound, Alaska, based on data collected during a series of population-wide aerial surveys in June 2014. The dataset consists of: (1) sea otter counts along strip transects, (2) sea otter counts in Intensive Search Unit (ISU) within the trPolar Bear Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) Location Data Derived from Satellite Location Data, Southern Beaufort Sea, 1986-2016
This dataset consists of one table with predicted locations of adult female polar bears. Locations were derived by a Continuous Time-Correlated Random Walk (CTCRW) model using satellite tracking radio-collared adult female polar bears captured and instrumented in the southern Beaufort Sea, 1986–2016.Sightings data for a note on the "First Documentation of Long-Distance Travel by a Florida Manatee to the Mexican Caribbean"
West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) are separated into two allopatric subspecies: the Florida manatee (T. m. latirostris) and the Antillean manatee (T. m. manatus). In the winter of 2020-2021, an adult manatee was sighted off the coast of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in areas where Antillean manatees are not typically seen. The individual had distinct watercraft scars on its body, which werInnate Immunity and Stress and Reproductive Hormone Metrics for Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears, 2013-2015
These were data collected from polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea during the spring between 2013 and 2015. Data include individual identification, demographic characteristics, year, status for the current and prior year regarding use of land, concentrations of stress response and reproductive hormones, blood-based biomarker measures indicative of fasting, body mass index, and body conditioWalrus Haulout Outlines Apparent from Satellite Imagery Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018-2020
These data are in three folders of Keyhole Markup Language (KML) geospatial polygons representing the outlines of walrus herds apparent in satellite imagery. Each KML file contains one or more geospatial polygons of walrus herd outlines created by one observer who visually interpreted the images. The attribute values from all KML files are collected in a CSV table included with this data package.Walrus Haulout Outlines and Count Data Apparent from Aerial Survey Images Collected Near Point Lay Alaska, Autumn 2018 and 2019
This dataset provides walrus haulout group outlines, systematic grids cast over the outlines, and digitized points at the centroids of the individual walruses identified inside a randomly selected subset of grid cells. These data are based on visual interpretation of unpublished imagery from 26 aerial surveys by an Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS) operated by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska ScienProtein and Fat Consumption of Zoo Polar Bears in 14-day Ad Libitum Trials, 2019-2020
This is a single table containing measures of the amount of fat and meat consumed by 4 adult female and 5 adult male polar bears in U.S. zoos when provided both food sources ad libitum for 12-14 days. Trial length was intended to be 14 days, but trial dietary items ran out for two bears prior to the end of the trial (i.e., at 12 and 13 days instead of 14 days). The data set includes the weight ofDenning Phenology, Den Substrate, and Reproductive Success of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the southern Beaufort Sea 1986-2013 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1994
These data represent estimates of den entrance and exit dates for female polar bears in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas based on temperature sensor data obtained from satellite collars. An algorithm described in Olson et al. (2017) was used to determine whether the female entered a den and further analyses using temperature data as described in Olson et al. (2017) were used to assess den enCortisol Concentration Data from Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Hair Collected in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas, Alaska, 1983-1989, 2004-2006, and 2008-2016
This data release contains one table which includes the concentration of cortisol from polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair and morphometric data from some of the captured bears. We assayed concentration of cortisol in hair (HCC) from polar bears captured in the Alaska Beaufort, Bering and Chukchi seas during 1983-1989 and 2004-2016. Fields include the individual polar bear identifier (bearID), the dSea Otter Survey Data, Carcass Recovery Data, and Blood Chemistry Data from Southwest Alaska
Three data sets are included here to aid in assessment of the sea otter population collapse in southwest Alaska. One data set consists of results of sea otter surveys conducted between 1959 and 2015 at Bering Island, Russia and a selection of western Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Sea otter counts are reduced to a comparable value of otters per linear kilometer. Another data set consists per-capita a - Publications
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS marine mammal research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS marine mammal publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 54Diet composition of the African manatee: Spatial and temporal variation within the Sanaga River Watershed, Cameroon
The present study aimed to investigate the diet of African manatees in Cameroon to better inform conservation decisions within protected areas. A large knowledge gap on diet and seasonal changes in forage availability limits the ability to develop informed local management plans for the African manatee in much of its range. This research took place in the Sanaga River Watershed, which includes twoAuthorsAristide Takoukam Kamla, Dylan G. E. Gomes, Cathy Beck, Lucy W. Keith-Diagne, Margaret Hunter, Ruth Francis-Floyd, Robert K. BondeFatty acid profiles of feeding and fasting bears: Estimating calibration coefficients, the timeframe of diet estimates, and selective mobilization during hibernation
Accurate information on diet composition is central to understanding and conserving carnivore populations. Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) has emerged as a powerful tool for estimating the diets of predators, but ambiguities remain about the timeframe of QFASA estimates and the need to account for species-specific patterns of metabolism. We conducted a series of feeding experimeAuthorsGregory W. Thiemann, Karyn D. Rode, Joy A Erlenbach, Suzanne Budge, Charles T. RobbinsAnalysis of body condition indices reveals different ecotypes of the Antillean manatee
Assessing the body condition of wild animals is necessary to monitor the health of the population and is critical to defining a framework for conservation actions. Body condition indices (BCIs) are a non-invasive and relatively simple means to assess the health of individual animals, useful for addressing a wide variety of ecological, behavioral, and management questions. The Antillean manatee (TrAuthorsD. N. Castelblanco-Martínez, Daniel Slone, S. S. Landeo-Yauri, E. A. Ramos, Anmari Álvarez-Alemán, Fernanda L. N. Attademo, Cathy A. Beck, Robert K. Bonde, Susan M. Butler, L. J. Cabrias-Contreras, D. Caicedo-Herrera, Jamal Galves, I. V. Gómez-Camelo, D. González-Socoloske, D. Jiménez-Domínguez, Fabia O. Luna, Y. Mona-Sanabria, J. B. Morales-Vela, L. D. Olivera-Gomez, Janneth Adriana Padilla-Saldívar, James A. Powell, James P. Reid, G. Rieucau, Antonio A. Mignucci-GianonniSurvival and abundance of polar bears in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea, 2001–2016
The Arctic Ocean is undergoing rapid transformation toward a seasonally ice-free ecosystem. As ice-adapted apex predators, polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are challenged to cope with ongoing habitat degradation and changes in their prey base driven by food-web response to climate warming. Knowledge of polar bear response to environmental change is necessary to understand ecosystem dynamics and inforAuthorsJeffrey F. Bromaghin, David C. Douglas, George M. Durner, Kristin S. Simac, Todd C. AtwoodFirst documentation of long-distance travel by a Florida manatee to the Mexican Caribbean
West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) are separated into two allopatric subspecies: the Florida manatee (T. m. latirostris) and the Antillean manatee (T. m. manatus). In the winter of 2020–2021, an adult manatee was sighted off the coast of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in areas where Antillean manatees are not typically seen. The individual had distinct watercraft scars on its body, which werAuthorsNataly Castelblanco-Martínez, Anmari Álvarez-Alemán, Raul Torres, Amy L. Teague, Sheri Barton, Kari A Rood, Eric A Ramos, Antonio A. Mignucci-GiannoniChronic exposure to glyphosate in Florida manatee
Florida manatees depend on freshwater environments as a source of drinking water and as warm-water refuges. These freshwater environments are in direct contact with human activities were glyphosate-based herbicides are being used. Glyphosate is the most used herbicide worldwide and it is intensively used in Florida as a sugarcane ripener and to control invasive aquatic plants. The objective of theAuthorsMaite De María, Cecilia Silva-Sanchez, Kevin J. Kroll, Michael T. Walsh, Mohammad-Zaman Nouri, Margaret E. Hunter, Monica Ross, Tonya M. Clauss, Nancy D. DenslowEnergetic and health effects of protein overconsumption constrain dietary adaptation in an apex predator
Studies of predator feeding ecology commonly focus on energy intake. However, captive predators have been documented to selectively feed to optimize macronutrient intake. As many apex predators experience environmental changes that affect prey availability, limitations on selective feeding can affect energetics and health. We estimated the protein:fat ratio of diets consumed by wild polar bears usAuthorsKaryn D. Rode, Charles T. Robbins, Craig A. Stricker, Brian D. Taras, Troy N TollefsonClimate change vulnerability assessment for the California coastal national monument—Trinidad and Point Arena-Stornetta units
Executive SummaryThe California Coastal National Monument protects islets, reefs, and rock outcropping habitats in six onshore units, including the Trinidad and Point Arena-Stornetta Units.The California Coastal National Monument provides crucial habitat for resident and migratory species of seabirds, marine mammals, and invertebrates, which includes several federally listed threatened and endangeAuthorsKaren M. Thorne, Chase M. Freeman, Kevin J. Buffington, Susan E.W. De La CruzMonitoring abundance of aggregated animals (Florida manatees) using an unmanned aerial system (UAS)
Imperfect detection is an important problem when counting wildlife, but new technologies such as unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can help overcome this obstacle. We used data collected by a UAS and a Bayesian closed capture-mark-recapture model to estimate abundance and distribution while accounting for imperfect detection of aggregated Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) at thermal reAuthorsHolly H Edwards, Jeffrey A. Hostetler, Bradley M Stith, Julien MartinDiet composition and body condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in relation to sea ice habitat in the Canadian High Arctic
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) rely on sea ice for hunting marine mammal prey. Declining sea ice conditions associated with climate warming have negatively affected polar bears, especially in the southern portion of their range. At higher latitudes, the transition from multi-year ice to thinner annual ice has been hypothesized to increase biological productivity and potentially improve polar bear fAuthorsKatie R. N. Florko, Gregory W. Thiemann, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Evan S. RichardsonMeasuring adrenal and reproductive hormones in hair from southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) use sea ice to access marine mammal prey. In Alaska’s Southern Beaufort Sea, the declining availability of sea ice habitat in summer and fall has reduced opportunities for polar bears to routinely hunt on the ice for seals, their primary prey. This reduced access to prey may result in physiological stress with subsequent potential consequences to reproductive functionAuthorsMarilize Van der Walt, Lorin Neuman-Lee, Patricia Terletzky, Todd C. Atwood, Eric Gese, Susannah FrenchLipidomics reveals specific lipid molecules associated with cold stress syndrome in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
Cold stress syndrome (CSS) in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) results in perturbations to many physiological pathways, often leading to further illness or death. In this study, we applied a non-targeted lipidomics approach with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry to characterize changes related to CSS in the lipidomic profiAuthorsEmily K. Griffin, Kaylie Anne Costa, Juan J. Aristizabal-Henao, Michael P. Napolitano, Margaret Hunter, Jason Ferrante, John A. Bowden - Software
Software related to USGS marine mammal research is listed below.