The Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters at Amchitka Island, Alaska

需要对接近平衡的种群中的个体进行长期、连续的记录，以检验关于种群状况如何影响社会行为、觅食和繁殖的假设。类似的数据已经存在于威廉王子湾、阿图岛、阿拉斯加和加利福尼亚州不断扩大的人口中。辛尼夫博士建议在阿姆奇卡岛收集不同年龄和性别的个体的数据，那里的人口一直处于平衡状态。这些记录将与来自不断增长的人口的补充数据进行比较。通过手术植入的无线电发射器将被用来定位动物，并跟踪动物的活动、竞争互动、生存和繁殖。辛尼夫博士认为，在已知状态的种群之间进行这种个体水平的比较，从来没有对任何食肉动物物种进行过。事实证明，这种种群评估方法在管理目前不断扩大的海獭种群方面应该是有用的。

Long-term, continuous records on individual sea otters in a population that is near equilibrium are needed to examine hypotheses concerning how population status influences social behavior, foraging and reproduction. Similar data already exists for expanding populations at Prince William Sound, Attu Island, Alaska and California. Dr. Siniff proposes to collect data among various individuals of different ages and sexes at Amchitka Island, where the population has been at equilibrium. These records will be compared with complementary data from populations which are increasing. Radio transmitters, surgically implanted, will be used to locate the animals and to follow the activity, agonistic interactions, survival and reproduction. Dr. Siniff believes that such individual-level comparisons between populations of known status have never been made for any carnivore species. This approach to population assessment should prove useful in managing now expanding sea otter populations.